Little Things
by quigely
Summary: Snapshot story! Includes multiple one-shots, in no particular order, some more than one chapter. All go together spanning B&B before and after the birth of their daughter. New Chapter!
1. Sign for your Dinner!

So this is going to be one of those "Snapshot" stories, which includes multiple one-shots, in no particular order, that span our favourite couples life together. Haven't decided how early in their relationship I'm going to write... or how late, we'll see where it goes!!

I'll try to be good with the updates!!

Oh and the rating may change to "M"... we'll how smutty I feel!

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**Sign For Your Food**

"Bones? What are you doing?" Booth asked as he walked into the kitchen. The scene before him was not one that he understood. Bones was sitting near their 8 month old daughter, who was in the high chair, reaching forward towards her food, which her mother was holding just out of her reach.

"Eat," Bones said to her daughter, bringing her own fingers up together to touch them to her lips. "Yum," she said then pretending to eat from the spoon of the strained squash.

'_What?' _Booth mouthed silently to himself.

Jacqueline let out a wail of frustration causing Booth to step forward and take the spoon away from his wife, scooping up some food and sitting down in another chair to feed his daughter.

"Booth don't!" she scolded reaching for his arm, but it was too late, he was already placing the full spoon between their daughter's eager lips. "Ugh," she sighed in frustration. "I'm trying to teach her something, and she'll never learn if you give in that easily."

"What are you trying to teach her? To beg for her food?"

"No, I wanted her to ask."

"You what?" he asked in disbelief turning slightly. "Bones, she's 8 months. Just because she has your DNA doesn't mean she's going to be able to ask for her food at this age."

"I'm trying to teach her sign language," she said watching Booth turn towards her once more with an incredulous look on his face. This time she expected this reaction from him.

Jacqueline however, was not happy that her spoonfuls of food were so far and few between. She managed to grab to spoon from her distracted father and waved it happily in the air giggling, sending splatters of squash in multiple directions, including Booth's hair. He didn't seem to notice.

"What do you mean you're trying to teach her sign language? She's not deaf! Are you worried..."

"I know she's not Booth. Baby sign language is rapidly becoming very popular with many of today's new parents. It's an early method of communication that has shown a lot of potential. People start to teach it to their kids as young as 7 months."

"I don't like this Bones. What's wrong with waiting for her to learn how to speak? You know the way babies usually do... you're the anthropologist."

While Booth was mulling over this, Bones gently took the spoon back from her daughter and continued to feed her.

"Non-verbal communication is very important to a child's early development," she defended. It gives them practice in sharing their needs, and lets them exert some degree of control over their own environment. Babies hand signing works because the child can control some of their hand movements long before they can do much with their vocal cords."

"I don't know Temperance. I've never heard about this. What if she doesn't speak later on, because she's happy with her hand speaking?"

Bones stood up and took a now dirty Jacqueline out of her high chair. "That's nonsense. Research clearly shows that using sign language does not mean that a child will not learn to talk. And, researchers have also found that using sign language with babies does help to improve their language learning and IQs. And it's not hand speaking, it's signing. No one _speaks_ with their hands."

Booth followed them into Jacqueline's room where Bones was removing the dirty outfit and getting her ready for her bath. Booth was hovering.

"Do you want to read my book on the subject?" Booth didn't respond. Jacqueline squealed in delight and her mother lifted her into her arms, and approached Booth.

"Look, just let me try it for a bit, and if she doesn't take to it, or you're still up unhappy, I'll stop. Alright?" She looked into his eyes and as he stared back at her gorgeous blue eyes, he nodded finally giving in.

"Fine," he grumbled, but then smirked. She leaned in to kiss him, balancing Jacqueline on her hip.

"Now give me my squash faced baby!" He said enthusiastically reaching for his daughter as she lifted her arms out towards her father. Bath and bed time was his time with her, since he usually came home from work later than Bones did nowadays. "Bath time Wackie!" he said as he planted consecutive kisses on her forehead.

"I'd still prefer that you didn't call her that!" he heard Bones call down the hallway.

"Sign language Bones!" he called back, just before he blew a raspberry on his daughter's stomach sending her into a fit of giggles.

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Need I say I love reviews??


	2. It Takes a Woman

Thanks for all the favourites/Story Alerts, and to my 2 reviewers. If going by reviews alone I would have thought this story was going to be quite unpopular, but I got SO many alerts! I'd love to hear from you, even if it's just to tell me to update sooner! Please don't make me beg! hehe.

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**Chapter2-**

***It Takes a Woman

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**

"Bones the weather is terrible out. Can't you just cancel?"

"No Booth, I can't just cancel. I have a contract and this is one of my obligations. The road's have been cleared and salted. We will be fine. If you're so worried, you can come with us," she challenged knowing full well, that she was leaving the next morning, which was Friday, while he had to be in court for a trial to which he was a subpoenaed witness.

"You know I can't," he groaned.

"Well neither can I so deal with it," she said in a voice that told him that she meant the discussion to be final. She turned and headed to their bedroom to pack for her 3 day weekend, which included a couple of interviews and book reading and signings.

"Bones," he called after her down the hallway, a bit too loudly. She heard Jacqueline start to fuss over the baby monitor, and brushed past him through the doorway he was entering to check on her.

"Shhh," she soothed rubbing her 12-week old baby's back. Jacqueline closed her eyes, and after a few blinks, she fell back asleep.

She closed the door softly behind her and went back to her bedroom where Booth was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I'm still not completely used to the sleeping baby down the hall."

She gave him a half smile, trying but failing to maintain the allusion that she was mad at him.

She stepped forward towards him, when he took her hands into his.

"I'm just worried about the two of you. You're going to have enough to do without having to worry about taking care of Jackie too. Maybe you should leave her here with me. I can find a sitter for tomorrow."

Brennan stepped back, pulling her hands out of Booth grasps. "I can take care of my own child Seeley," she told him no longer keeping the anger out of her voice.

"I know... I didn't mean to imply that..."

"Yes, that's exactly what you meant. That you or some stranger can take better care of her than me, just because I'm working!" She turned to leave the room, when she turned back towards him. "Besides, how would you plan to feed her? I don't have enough time to pump enough milk for three days, and you're not giving her that disgusting formula from the hospital. So unless you have a working set of breasts that I'm not aware of, I am leaving in the morning with Jacqueline as planned!"

She smiled pleased with herself, and she walked down the hallway, as she heard him sigh. It was a sigh of surrender. She had touched upon the one point he could not and would not argue about. They had both agreed to breast milk over formula, from the beginning.

It was only a matter of minutes before he appeared in the living room again, like she knew he would. After all, she was leaving for three days in the morning, and it was not like Booth to miss a chance for good-bye sex. Or make-up sex. In this case, it was a little bit of both.

"Just please be careful driving, and call me as soon as you get there."

She walked up to him and laced her arms around his neck. "I will," she smiled leaning in towards him to take her victory kiss.

"So..." he said coyly.

"Yes?"

"So are you too upset with me, or can I give you a proper send off?"

Her answering response was a more extended kiss, in which she pressed her body up against his.

"I figure since your breast will be otherwise occupied for three days, I should get my fair share of them now," he whispered letting one of his hands snake its way up her shirt.

"How romantic," she laughed dipping her head to rest in the crook of his neck.

"I try," he smiled. And with that he placed each of his hands under her bottom to hold her while she lifted her legs around him so he could carry her back to their bedroom, and make amends, and say goodbye, in a manner they hoped wouldn't wake the baby.

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**Press the button!!! Please??**


	3. Itsy Bitsy Polka Dot Bikini

Thanks again for the reviews/Alerts!!

This chapter is rather short, but I kind of like it. ** I have swim class part two that is much longer, but I haven't decided if I want to post it. Let me know if you like this, and I can post it tomorrow!!**

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**Itsy Bitsy Polka Dot Bikini**

"Bones!" Booth called. He was standing in Jacqueline's room.

Jacqueline was on her back on the changing table in her purple and blue swim diaper, grabbing her toes and cooing at her father.

Brennan appeared in the doorway. "What is it? I'm trying to work," she told him.

"What the heck is this?" he asked holding up two pieces of a tiny black and pink bikini, with lacy frills on the front.

"It's a bathing suit Booth," she told him confused by his obvious question.

"No Bones. This," he said pushing his fist that contained the articles towards her, "is a scrap of cloth."

"Angela bought that for Jacqueline when I told her I signed us up for swim classes."

"I don't care who bought it, I'm not putting my daughter in this!"

"Booth, she's a baby, no one is going to be offended by a baby in a bikini."

"I'm not worried about offending anyone! You know how many perverts there are out there! A bikini is so sexual... It's ridiculous!" Booth was beside himself.

"No, you're ridiculous. She's 6 months old. For all it matters you could bring her in just her diaper. The bathing suit is just considered cute," she smirked looking at her daughter. In that moment she had to smile at how much she'd changed. A year ago Temperance Brennan never would have found a baby's bikini cute.

She took, well, pulled the bathing suit out of Booth's hands and began to dress her daughter. She lifted Jacqueline up on the table so that she was supporting her in a standing position.

"See how cute she looks?"

Booth had to smile. Of course he was biased, but with her bright blue eyes, and her hair just starting to grow a bit longer and curling at the ends, she was undeniably adorable. Jacqueline had this way of smiling when she was extremely happy, where she squints her eyes and wrinkles her nose. She was as delighted as her mom about her bathing suit it seemed.

"Fine Bones. But as soon as she turns one, I'm putting my foot down in the bathing suit department. One-pieces only... and those little wrap things. Maybe a t-shirt too when she's older."

"You're absurd... But awful sexy when you're so protective."

"If you like this," he said coming up and circling his arms around her waist, "just wait until she wants to start dating."

Brennan laughed and then handed Jacqueline to him. "Have fun," she said kissing them both and then leaving the room.

"Ok Wackie, ready to go break some hearts?"

In answer to his question she let out a small burp.

"That's my girl!" he said proudly scooping her up to head off to their tot swim classes.

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**Hope you liked it! Please let me know, even if it's only a one word response!!**


	4. Bubbles

I had a lot of trouble posting this because I'm not sure how in character it is... but I liked it, so the end verdict is... Here it is!

Please make my weekend and review! Thanks!

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Part2- Bubbles

"We're home," Booth called.

Brennan got up from her desk and greeted them in the front hall, taking a sleeping Jacqueline from his arms.

"When did she fall asleep?"

"As soon as I put her in her car seat. First class tired her out," he smiled.

"I'll have to wake her to feed her soon, if she doesn't wake up. How was the class?"

"Fine. Lots of babies and their mom's. I was the only dad there tonight."

"Oh. I would have liked to go, but with my deadline..."

Booth cut her off. "Bones I know, it's no problem. We had fun bonding."

She smiled and kissed her daughter's still damp hair. "So what did you do?"

"Sing songs, blow bubbles... you know swim stuff," he said not too interested in giving her a play by play.

"That's it? I thought she was supposed to be learning swimming skills," Brennan said unhappily.

"What kind of skills? Freestyle and butterfly? They're babies. You do the fishy wishy."

"I don't know what that means," she shook he head confused.

"You know the hokey pokey... but instead of saying that, you do the fishy wishy." He could see that his wife still have no idea as to what he was referring. "Never mind Bones. It's just a silly child's song."

"Yes, I believe it is. Maybe I'll take her next week. Would you mind?"

"No, not at all, but I don't know if it's a good idea..." he said this with some trepidation knowing how she reacts when someone suggests she can't do something for her child.

"Why not?" she asked already on the defensive.

"Because you don't know any of the songs, and it's more challenging then you think sometimes."

"That's ridiculous. You said yourself there was nothing to it. I will make sure my schedule is clear to take her."

"Whatever you want," he smirked at her.

***

Booth made sure that the following weekend he was free to take his wife and daughter to their swim class. He was going to sit on the sidelines and watch. Bones singing baby songs and making animal noises was something he could not resist seeing.

When they walked out on the deck, Brennan walked with Jacqueline and Booth to where the parents could sit and watch their kids.

"Jacqueline has many more desirable features than a lot of these other babies," Brennan declared in her not so quiet voice.

"Shhh, Bones. You can't say things like that. All babies are beautiful," he said smiling.

She moved closer to him and whispered more quietly. "Do you really believe that?"

"Hell no! Jackie is by far the most beautiful baby in the entire universe!"

"Normally I would insist that there would be no way to support that statement, however considering the topic, I agree." Booth laughed.

The teacher called the class over, and Brennan slipped her towel off and handed it to Booth, walking over to where the other parents were walking down a ramp into the warm pool. Booth couldn't help but watch his wife's flawless figure in her black bathing suit. She was more gorgeous than the day he met her. He felt a swell of happiness at how lucky he was.

Jacqueline splashed her hands around as soon as she could reach the water. It would splash up and hit her in the eyes, and he would blink stunned, not sure what was happening, and then start all over again.

Brennan tried to follow as best as she could. It was easy holding her baby in the float positions and the songs were simple enough that when she heard one verse she could fill in the second one.

When they were singing Old Mac Donald had a pool, they took turns naming animals that would live in his pool. Brennan thought the song was ridiculous. When the teacher asked one of the mothers what sound the fish would make, the mother suggested bubbles. Brennan felt the need to make sure that they knew that fish don't make sounds. They all looked at her strangely. Booth was laughing on the sidelines having heard the conversation that transpired. That was most definitely something his Bones would do.

About three quarters of the way through the class, the teacher announced a new activity, submersion.

"Absolutely not," Brennan told the instructor when she turned to her for Jacqueline to go first.

"It's ok, we do this all the time. Just swim her to me, and I'll submerge her on the way back to you."

"She's too young, how can she possibly know to hold her breath?" Temperance asked gripping her daughter more tightly. "She's never learned the reflex action because she's never learned the response to the given cue.

No one said anything. Not surprising since no one seemed to understand exactly what she meant.

Brennan rolled her eyes. "She's not ready," she said more firmly.

"Why don't you watch and see how it's done and then you can decide," the instructor suggested trying to move on, and away from Brennan.

Brennan looked to Booth, who smiled at her. He gave her thumbs up. It was probably to encourage her, though she wasn't sure if he could hear exactly what was going on now.

Brennan watched as the other mother's let their children be submerged and come back up. Most coughed, and looked shocked, but nothing too drastic.

She finally relented and passed Jacqueline to the teacher. The teacher lightly pushed Jacqueline under the water and lifted her back to the surface and into her mother's waiting arms.

She didn't cough, but when she opened her eyes and saw her mother she burst into tears, and her whole body was shaking. Her small fingers were gripping her mother's arms.

Brennan felt instantly terrible. She had made her baby scared and unhappy rather than going with her initial instincts to protect her and not participate in the activity. She betrayed Jacqueline's trust to protect her.

Without another word, she turned and headed towards the ramp, exiting the pool and heading over to Booth, who wrapped a towel around his wife and baby.

Brennan was terribly upset now, as well as Jacqueline, who was still wailing.

"Are you crying Bones?" Booth asked concerned, not sure if they were tears or from the pool.

"You were right. I shouldn't have brought her to this class. I can't do this!"

"You did fine. _She'll_ be fine. It just took her by surprise."

"I let her down. I'm supposed to protect her, not drown her." Jacqueline's cries started to subside.

"Hey, Bones look at me. It's just a bit of water, and parents do it to their babies all the time. You did _nothing_ wrong. I'm actually proud of you, you sang children's songs!"

"Just because people do it all the time, doesn't mean that I should. She wasn't ready. I knew she wasn't, and I did it anyways."

"Shhh, Temperance, you pushed her to do something new. See look, she's fine now." She had in fact stopped crying.

"What if she's mad at me?" Brennan asked worriedly.

"It will be fine. You'll see. Why don't you let me take her and get her changed so you can change as well?" Brennan nodded and handed Jacqueline to Booth. Much to both their surprise, as soon as she was in Booth's arms, she began to cry again, turning to reach for her mother, sobs shaking her whole body. Usually she happily went to her father.

Booth handed his baby back to her mother who began to shower her with kisses, as she rocked her back and forth. Jacqueline's crying slowed and her breathing returned to normal, aside from a few hiccups.

Booth smiled, happy that this just proved his point to his wife. "I guess you're changing her?"

"Yes," she smiled taking the bag from him and heading for the change room.

Brennan closed her eyes and rested her cheek against her little bundle of love's head.

"You have my promise now, my sweet princess, that I will never make you do something again before you're ready."

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So? What did you think?


	5. Expecting the Unexpected

This is pre- Jacqueline. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

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**Expecting the unexpected**

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Brennan stood in front of the mirror and examined herself. She had spent nearly two hours getting ready for her anniversary with Booth that night. He was taking her somewhere special, and she was sure that tonight was the night that he was going to propose.

At first when she had found the ring she panicked. She was looking for batteries for one of parker's toys, and there in a little tool box that Booth kept on the top shelf of his front hall closet was the small velvet box. She opened it, and slammed it shut quickly, as soon as she realized what it was. She was suddenly filled with anxiety and felt like she couldn't breathe. Parker had called her named numerous times before she registered the fact that she was the one that he was calling.

She hadn't stayed at Booth's that night making up a story about needing to work on her book, and having to lock herself in her apartment "to write". Instead she sat on her couch for hours at a time in her old sweats, and mulled over her new dilemma. Booth _couldn't_ ask her to marry him. She didn't want things to change. The past year had been the best of her life. If he proposed and she said no... Well it would ruin everything.

It had been on the following Monday morning when Booth walked into her office that everything finally clicked inside her head. Actually, they seemed to click in her entire body. It was if she was at that moment surer of wanting to be with him for the rest of her life than she had ever been before. He had strolled over to her and placed a kiss on her lips, using his fingers to stroke her cheek. "I missed you this weekend," he told her. "I can't remember the last time we spent two nights apart."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Did you at least get a lot done on your book?"

She didn't feel the need to lie. "Not really. I seemed to be procrastinating."

"Since when do you procrastinate?"

"I guess you're rubbing off on me," she smiled, reaching up behind her to cup his cheek.

She turned back to her computer to finish typing her e-mail. As she did so he stood behind her and braced his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head. She suddenly felt an overwhelming swell of emotion towards him. She was almost brought to tears by these feelings, and how comfortable if was for him to be standing there behind her like he was. She turned around in his embrace and pulled him down by his tie to kill him, with all the passion she could find within herself.

When they broke apart they were both breathing heavily.

"What was that for?" he asked rhetorically, not really caring, just loving the moment.

"I love you," she told him sincerely.

He smiled. "I know, and I love you too."

"No, but I really love you Seeley, you know that right?"

He kept his smile but his eyes squinted a bit trying to understand what was going on.

"Yeah Bones, I know that. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is absolutely perfect," she sighed happily. And it truly was. "I just missed you this weekend as well."

So now she wanted to look perfect. She just knew that he was going to propose tonight. It had been 6 months since she had found the ring. She had held her breath on Christmas, and New Years, and the night he took her to the opera, but when he didn't propose, she figured that he was waiting for this night to propose. Their anniversary. Closing of one perfect year, and the beginning of another.

It was frustrating for her already. She didn't want him to know that she had found the ring, but at times she felt herself almost being mad at him that he hadn't proposed, when she had already accepted the fact that she wanted to marry him. He just rubbed it off as her being tired and irritable. If he only knew...

Booth used his key to open the door, and let himself in. When Brennan heard him, she walked out of her room, to find Booth dressed in a suit that could make most women melt at the sight of him. He was holding a bouquet of red roses.

"You look stunning," he told her kissing her cheek. "Absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank, you. You look quite handsome yourself."

Booth took a closer look at the tight black dress she was wearing. It was skin tight.

"What are you wearing under there?" he asked curiously, but also very quietly.

"Why?" She was curious. Usually he didn't care as long as it was hitting the floor soon after he saw it.

"Because it doesn't look like much could fit under there," he smirked.

She laughed. "Have a feel."

He hesitated knowing he was only torturing himself by not being able to continue after he coped a feel. But curiosity won over, and he found himself sliding a hand underneath her dress, and up the inside of her silky thigh. "Is that a thong?" he asked eyes opening wide.

She shrugged with a seductive smile on her face. "I couldn't have panty lines, now could I?"

He gulped.

"Why Agent Booth. If I had known you would react this way to a thong, I would have purchased one a long time ago."

"I didn't know_ I_ would react this way either. I think it's _you_ in the thong that has me going."

She smiled and headed towards the door. He certainly was going to have to wait... and it was going to be torture.

He took her to an elegant and romantic French restaurant outside of the main city. They had champagne, entrees and dessert. They talked comfortably all throughout the evening, and all evening she kept waiting.

Even though she would never admit it, she had imagined how he would propose to her. Nothing too fancy, or strange. He certainly wouldn't put it in her champagne glass, or in her dessert. More intimate and private. Maybe he would wait until they were alone.

They went for a walk through the city after dinner, and it was beautiful weather. Even the streets were moonlit. When he did not stop to get down on one knee, she found that her emotions were starting to get the best of her. Booth seemed to notice, and brushed it off as her being tired, and suggested that they head back to her place. But then she didn't speak the whole way home, and when he asked her a question he got short curt answers.

"Is something wrong?" Booth asked her. He noticed that she seemed to be getting irritable.

She shook her head no.

"Then why won't you answer me?"

"I'm answering you right now."

This was not how the night was supposed to end. He sighed and pulled into a parking spot and they both got out of the car and headed towards his apartment, and went inside. They had decided to stay there.

"Bones, I know something is bothering you. Please talk to me."

"I don't feel like talking," she told him taking off her shoes and carrying them into the bedroom.

Booth began to mentally run through the events of the evening and the conversation that transpired during their walk. He couldn't find anything wrong in his memories of the evening. Everything seemed to be exactly as he planned.

"Well I don't know where the evening went wrong. I thought we were having a nice time... Do you not want to stay with me tonight?" He stopped and waited, not hearing an objection from her. His heart sank. This was not in his plan.

"Ok, well Bones, I'll take you home."

He was just about to open the front door when she finally spoke.

"I don't understand you!" She said showing the first bit of emotion since earlier in the evening.

He turned back to her confused and shut the door.

"What did I do?" he asked cautiously trying to understand what was going on.

"You didn't _do_ anything that's the problem. I know you love me. And I certainly know your views on relationships, so I'm confused as to where our relationship is headed."

"Are you breaking up with me?" he asked panic flooding through him. He instantly became defensive.

"What? No!" she sighed in frustration. "I'm not good at this Booth. I don't know how to discuss these things."

"I can tell," he mumbled and then regretted it immediately.

"You know what? Never mind," she said raising her hands in a motion to let him know she wasn't going to go any further.

"No! You brought this up! You can't just end it there!"

"I can and I will!" she huffed back at him a bit immaturely.

"You know what Temperance, you have been very moody, and snippy to me over to past few weeks and I'm not sure why, but I don't deserve this. He began to wish they were in her apartment so he could leave and go home.

_Shit_, she thought. She didn't want to push him away. "I found the ring!" she blurted. That seemed to stop him in his tracks. "I found it at your place, when I was looking for some batteries for Parker."

He turned around to look at her, trying to read her face and body language to understand what she thought of the ring. His face was blank.

"When?"

"About six months ago." She sat down on the couch, and he came over and sat down next to her.

"Is that what this is about? You're worried that I'm going to propose to you?" He ran his fingers through his hair. Definitely not the way he envisioned this going.

"No! It's the opposite. I'm worried about why you've had the ring for so long and you're not proposing!"

This jolted him into a straighter posture throwing him off guard. "You're... wait... oh Bones. That's what this is about? You think I don't want to marry you?" His lips began to curl into a smile. He let small laugh. Relief.

"It's the only logical answer I can find to explain why you haven't proposed when you have a ring, and you _want_ to be married."

He took her hand into both of his. "Because I wanted it to be perfect. I could have proposed a million times, but you deserve nothing short of perfect."

"So you want to marry me?"

"Oh course I _want_ to marry you. I'd be a fool to not want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"So ask me," she told him completely seriously looking into his eyes.

"Not here," he replied shaking his head.

"Booth! I don't understand... I thought you just said..."

He cut her off by standing up and pulling her with him to his bedroom. He opened the door and inside she saw the bed made up in white linens with rose petals scattered. In the middle of the bed rested a small velvet box.

"Oh," she managed to breathe.

Booth walked in and lit a couple of candles, before moving to the bed and retrieving the small box. He turned towards her and got down on one knee.

"Temperance Brennan, if I were to tell you all the reasons I love you and want to marry you, I could go on forever. I want to spend the rest of my life with you because I love you more than I could even express in words. Will you marry me?"

Much to her own surprise she began to shed tears as she nodded at him, and reached for his hand to pull him up.

"Are you going to answer?" he asked playfully.

"Yes, of course I will," she sniffed. He took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger on her left hand, before lifting it to his lips to kiss it.

Through her tears she let out a laugh.

"What?" Booth asked pulling her towards him.

"I don't even believe in the whole marriage ritual and look how emotional I am."

"It's not about the ritual. It's about you and me and the love that we will share for the rest of our lives together."

He wrapped his arms around her. "What do you say we consummate this engagement?"

She smirked at him, before putting one hand on his chest and pushing him back until he fell on the bed, on the bed of rose petals.


	6. Where's Mommy?

Please let me know what you think!!!

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"Jackie it's bed time. I've told you once, this is twice, and if I have to tell you one more time there will be consequences."

Jacqueline crossed her arms and dropped down onto the floor in the hallway and stared at her father defiantly. He was currently blocking her way out into the living room where she was trying to get to.

"Jackie, I mean it. Get in your room before I put you there, and after school tomorrow, you will stay there the whole weekend. You won't come out with me and Parker, or go to your friend's birthday party."

Jacqueline, who was currently four, and dressed in her favourite pink Disney's Princess nightgown, pushed herself up off the floor and stomped into her bedroom pushing the door closed behind her.

Booth waited less than 1 minute before opening the door to her room and finding her sitting in the middle of her bed, still with her arms crossed. He walked over to the bed and sat down next to her.

"Jackie, what's going on? This isn't you," he asked softly. He could never stay mad at his little girl. She was adorable, tough, and caring but overall usually very obedient.

"Want to tell me what's going on?" he asked again when she didn't answer.

"No."

Ok, one word... progress.

"Well I can't help you if you don't tell me why you're so mad."

She let out a huff, much like he was wasting her time.

"Where's Mommy?"

"You know she's away at work. She'll be back soon."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"She didn't call me."

"Yes she did. You spoke to her this morning. Remember, during breakfast?"

She nodded once before pouting.

"Ok, so what's the problem?"

"I have to see her now," she said.

"I know you miss her baby. I miss her too, but I think when she meant soon, she meant tomorrow. She'll be home before you go to school tomorrow. Ok?"

Stubbornly she shook her head. "I want her to put me to bed _now_."

"Hey, what I'm not good enough for you?" he tried to lighten the mood.

"Nope," she said popping the 'p'. "Tonight's Thursday, and Mommy _always_ puts me to bed and reads me a story on Thursday."

"I know sweetie, but remember how before Mommy went she told you she would be missing this Thursday because she had to go away?"

She didn't answer, but he knew she understood. She was very smart, but she was still young.

"I want to call her. I have to tell her something."

"We can't call her, she's on an airplane. That's why she called this morning. Can you tell me?"

Jacqueline broke and the tears starting to roll down her face. "No! I want to tell mommy. And I can't go to sleep unless she says goodnight to me!"

"Come here baby," he said pulling her into her arms and kissing her. "I know, but it's just for tonight. You have school tomorrow and you're going to be so tired if you don't go to sleep."

"I don't care!" she said gripping her father's shirt.

"Do you want to sleep with me in our bed?"

She nodded her head. "Ok, let's go princess."

Booth assumed that once they settled in there and she stopped crying, she would fall asleep from exhaustion. He was wrong. She stayed wide awake, lying on her side, starring at the wall. She didn't say anything, but every so often he saw her lift her hand to wipe away a few rolling tears.

It drove Booth nuts to see her like this. It hurt him to see how sad she was.

"Baby, what do you want? Do you me to put on some cartoons to help you sleep?"

"I want Mommy," she repeated again.

* * *

By 3 am, he was exhausted, and he knew that his daughter was too. She still wasn't sleeping, stubbornly forcing herself to try to stay awake. She had finally stopped crying about an hour before. Booth decided it was time to take different measures.

Getting up, booth pulled on some casual clothes, and went over to his daughter and picked her up off the bed. "Come on Jackie," she started. He felt her starting to squirm. "We're going to go get mommy." She stopped immediately and looked at him.

"Now?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes right now."

He put her in her jacket and buckled her in her car seat. Brennan's plane was supposed to land at 4am, and he hoped it wasn't landing early, because he couldn't take the chances of crossing paths with her at the airport.

* * *

Brennan was not too tired. She had slept a lot on the plane, and she couldn't wait to get a cab and head home to her husband and daughter. She wheeled her suitcase out, handing in her customs pass, and was just stopping to tuck her passport back in her purse when she felt something crash into her leg. She looked down, to see her daughter hugging her leg, dressed in her pink nightgown, with her purple spring coat, and matching rain boots.

"Jacqueline," she breathed shocked, dropping her suitcase handle and reaching for her daughter who was more than willing to be picked up by her mother.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy," she chanted, with her arms wrapped around her mother's neck.

Brennan looked to see Booth standing nearby, looking a bit sheepish. "What is this?" she asked her husband. "It's so late!" She wasn't mad, but shocked.

"She was miserable. She cried for hours after I tried to put her to bed. She wouldn't sleep without talking to you. I didn't know what else to do already."

"Shhh," she soothed rubbing her daughter's back and nuzzling her nose into her hair. She missed that sweet baby scent that her daughter had. She had never considered that this week long absence would be harder on her daughter than it was on her, which it was as well. "I love you baby."

Booth leaned in to kiss his wife, and took her suitcase handle as they began to walk to the car. By the time they were at the car, not even 5 minutes later, Jacqueline was sound asleep.

Brennan went to put her daughter in her car seat when Booth stopped her. "Don't wake her." Brennan nodded. She climbed into the back seat, with her daughter still on her lap. It wasn't the safest, but for now, it would be ok.

Booth sighed. "I missed you too," he smiled looking back at her in the rear view mirror.

"I know. I missed you both so much. These trips aren't as easy for me as they used to be. The week felt very long, but I did love my welcome home committee."

"I guess we're not sending her to school tomorrow?" he asked his wife but it wasn't really a question.

"No, I think we should spend the day together. I want to hear about everything I missed."

* * *

When they got home Brennan carried Jacqueline into her room and laid her down into her own bed.

Jacqueline woke from the motion and saw her mom sitting there on her bed.

"I have to tell you something, because I couldn't remember if I told you on the phone," she told her mom groggily.

"What is it princess?"

"I love you."

Brennan smiled. "I love you too. Sleep well, and I'll see you in the morning." She kissed her daughter's forehead and tucked the covers tightly around her.

* * *

"What was so important that couldn't wait for morning?" Booth asked her as she climbed into bed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She teased watching Booth slide under the covers next to her.

He growled playfully as he rolled on top of her supporting his weight on his arms. "I can make you tell me..." he said trying to keep a straight face.

"I dare you," she smirked. And he happily accepted that dare.

* * *

Reviews are love and appreciation... and help the creative flow... just saying.... :)


	7. Thursday's with Mommy

Sorry I've been slow getting this up! I went to enjoy the warm sun down south for a week and didn't get to update betfore I went!

Hope you enjoy this. Let me know what you think!

I'm having a bit of a block... I have about 8 stories started but can't seem to finish any. Reviews may help.... just saying... :)  


* * *

**Thursday's with Mommy**

Booth sat on the living floor with Jacqueline sitting up next to him. He was reading her a book that had animal pictures, names and the sounds they make. She was looking at the pictures intently.

"What sounds does a puppy make Jackie?" he asked her. He made a barking noise, and she imitated him. Not well, but it was progress. "Good girl, baby!"

When they were done the book and Booth stood up to put it away. As soon as he moved away from the couch she let out a whine.

"I'm right here sweetie. I'm coming back."

"Dada."

Booth stopped where he was and turned towards his daughter who was leaning forward to grab her toes.

"What?" he smiled waiting for her to do it again? She just smiled at him and lifter her arms for him to pick him up.

"Dada!"

"Bones! Come quick!" Booth hollered with excitement.

Brennan walked into the living room where Booth was sitting on the couch playing with their daughter.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked coming up beside him, and rubbing her fingers through Jacqueline's growing auburn hair.

"She said dada," he told her ecstatically looking up at her.

A bunch of emotions flashed through Brennan's eyes. "Are you sure?"

But then, as if she knew exactly what they were saying, Jacqueline opened her mouth and clear as anything came the word "dada". She was looking directly at Booth, like she knew exactly what she was saying.

Bones eyes opened wide. Other than "bah", which was bottle, it was her first real word.

"Great job Princess," she said leaning down to kiss her head.

"See? Isn't it amazing?" he said as he scooped Jacqueline up and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I've got to say Bones, you were right about that signing thing. It's made her a genius."

"I hardly think it qualifies her as a genius because she called you 'dada'. She is in fact quite a late talker."

"Oh come on Bones. She's the silent, thoughtful type."

Brennan smirked at him.

"I think she's a genius! Right Wackie?" he said enthusiastically blowing a raspberry on her tummy. She loved it. "I'm still glad you talked me in to the signing thing. With her being a late talker, we wouldn't have been able to communicate with her at all without it."

"Yes, it's very rewarding," she smiled, patting Booth on his shoulder before turning around and heading back to her office.

Temperance Brennan was very good at keeping her emotions in check, but since that afternoon when she saw her daughter speak her first important word, directed at her father, and not at her, she couldn't seem to suppress the overwhelming emotions of jealousy and rejection that she felt.

She tried to tell herself that it was silly. Jacqueline was after all just a baby, and her expectations shouldn't be too high. But she knew they shared a special bond, one that came only from a mother carrying and giving birth to her baby, and the bonding that is shared while breastfeeding.

Maybe she needed to spend more time with her daughter. She had been working increasingly longer hours over the past couple weeks. She hadn't even put Jacqueline to bed in over a week. If Booth wasn't home to do it either, their babysitter did. She made a pledge to herself that the next week she would be there more in the evening for her daughter.

"Sweetie are you alright?" Angela asked watching Brennan moving quickly around her office.

"Yes, I lost track of time. I have to go," she said without looking up.

"Are you meeting Booth for dinner?"

"What?" she asked distractedly. "Oh, no, I want to see Jacqueline before she goes to bed.

She said goodbye to Angela, and began to hurry out the door, only to be stopped several times by people. First Hodgins, then Cam and finally Booth himself, with new evidence on the case they were working on.

"Booth, I'm going home, not now!"

"Bones this can't wait until tomorrow. I have to have the paper work in tonight. I did most of it, but I can't fill out this last part without you."

"I wanted to put Jacqueline to bed tonight," she sighed at having to explain it to him.

"Oh. I just spoke to Karen, and she put Jacqueline down about 10 minutes ago..." he informed his wife.

Brennan moved to a nearby chair and sunk down in it. "I can't keep doing this Booth. I miss my baby. I never see her in the evenings, and she doesn't even know who I am." She was completely defeated.

"Of course she knows who you are. Tomorrow's Friday, and then you'll spend lots of time with her over the weekend."

Although she tried to hide it, Booth saw his wife's eyes grow glassy with tears.

"Hey... what's this all about?"

Brennan shook her head no. She didn't want to talk about it. She knew it sounded petty.

"Come on, talk to me. Please?" he said meeting her eyes.

"She didn't ask for me." It came out very softly.

It took Booth only short moment to comprehend. He felt very bad for his wife.

"This is about saying my name?"

"Yes. I know it's petty."

"No, it's not. You can't help the way you feel."

"I love her so much, and I'm trying my best, but what if it's not enough. What if I'm doing something wrong?"

"You're not doing anything wrong Temperance. It was just in the moment, she said it. It could have easily been your name," he consoled her. "Look, help me finish this tonight, and then I'll make sure to help you be home earlier next week, ok?"

She gave him a sad smile. "Alright."

* * *

The next week did in fact start much better. Monday she managed to leave work by 5, and was able to give Jacqueline her supper, bath and bottle, before reading her a story and putting her to bed.

However, by Tuesday and Wednesday, there were things that she had to do that she just couldn't seem to complete and still get home early enough to be with Jacqueline for her whole routine.

Booth has just changed and checked on Jackie when he saw his wife putting her coat on.

"Where are you going?" he asked confused.

"I have to go back to the office. I didn't finish everything I have to do."

"It's after 9 Bones. Just wait until the morning."

"I can't Booth. I have responsibilities and I can't be everywhere at once," she defended stepping back towards the door.

"So don't be. Stay here."

"I'm going Booth. I'll be home late. Don't wait up for me," she said as she turned and walked out of the house.

* * *

Booth woke up to the sound of Jackie crying. He looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 7 in the morning. He got up and went to get a bottle to feed Jacqueline. He noticed immediately that Bones had never come home.

Jacqueline whined when he tried to give her bottle. Usually her mother fed her in the mornings. After a few minutes and more persistence, hunger took over and she reluctantly took her bottle.

Jacqueline sucked on her bottle, before being put back in her crib so that he could change. The nanny would have to give her the rest of her breakfast. Usually Brennan did that, but since she wasn't there today, he would be very late if he had to do it too.

He arrived at the Jeffersonian just after 9, after stopping at his office first.

Her door was open and she was on her computer.

"Hey," he said walking in and stopping in front of her desk.

"Hi," she said looking up at him.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asked sceptically.

"Yes, a couple of hours on the couch." He could tell she was still annoyed with him.

"Look, last night I didn't mean that I thought you should blow off your work."

"Yes, that's exactly what you meant. But I understand," she sighed. "I just can't seem to find the balance that you have."

"I know. Look, I ca

* * *

n help you if you let me. I mean, you're doing all this to spend more time with Jacqueline, but she missed you this morning."

"She did?" she asked looking up eyes wide.

"Of course she did. She wants you to feed her in the morning. She's used to that routine since she was born."

"I don't know what to do," she sighed leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms.

Booth walked over and sat on the corner of her desk. "Why don't you try to focus on one of two days a week that you will be home early, rather trying to make it every day. We can work it out so you're with her in the evening if I have Parker, and then you can have some alone time with her," he smiled. "Mommy, daughter bonding."

"That is actually a very good idea Agent Booth," she smiled standing up and moving between his legs. She grabbed his tie and pulled herself closer to him so that her lips could meet his. "How did you get to be so smart?"

He laughed. "Do I get a reward for being so smart?"

"Mmm... I think I can arrange that if you meet me tonight... say my bed around midnight?" she smirked.

"Ok, but don't tell my wife," he said leaning in to her lips again.

* * *

The next night was Thursday and Brennan made it home by five. Jacqueline was on the floor playing with her favourite blocks.

Jacqueline's eyes lit up, and a smile grew on her fact when she saw her mother watching her. Brennan climbed down on the floor, and spent the next half hours playing with Jacqueline before feeding her, and giving her a bath.

Before putting Jacqueline to bed, Brennan sat in the rocking chair with her baby cradled against her chest. She felt Jacqueline's breath calm as she slowly drifted off to sleep. In that moment she was truly content. This had been her favourite day of the week. Thursdays belonged to them.

* * *

I will not beg... I will not beg...

Happy Bone's tomorrow!!!


	8. Something's Wrong

Thanks again for the reviews and such!! Sorry I haven't responded to them... but have no fear. I check my e-mail every 5 minutes to look for new ones and to read them... so please help fill my inbox! hehe.

Here's a short one to tide you over from a longer one I'm working on!

* * *

Something's wrong-

"Bones? You okay?" Booth asked coming into his daughter's room where his wife sat on the floor motionless watching their not yet, two-year-old daughter play. She was stacking blocks, and banging them together occasionally to hear the noises that they made.

"I think something is wrong with Jacqueline," she stated not moving her focus off her daughter.

Booth looked from his wife to his daughter with concern, searching for anything that would clue him on to what she was talking about. His daughter looked as happy and normal as he'd ever seen her. "What do you mean?"

"Today I took her to that new baby-gym. All of the other babies her age were talking a lot... Jacqueline says 'Dada', and even that is rare. She doesn't even say 'mama' yet...." Some of the other babies were using short sentences.

"But she signs well," he smirked nudging his wife with his foot. "Bet they can't do that!" He was met with a heartbroken glare that told him that she was taking this very hard and seriously, and maybe he should too. He sat down next to his wife.

"Maybe this is my fault. Maybe you were right and I shouldn't have taught her to sign." Her eyes began to well up with tears. She tried to blink them back. When did she get so emotional? Ever since giving birth, her hormones had seemingly gone crazy, and she teared at everything now.

"Bones the paediatrician said that she was doing great. Children develop language at their own pace, just be patient."

"How would you know?" she sniffed looking at him.

"I have a son, remember?"

Sensing something was going on Jacqueline pushed herself up and ran over to her parents. Booth scooped her up hung her upside down, causing Jacqueline to cackle his favourite laughter. When he brought her right side up he deposited her into Brennan's lap.

"Hi baby," she said affectionately giving her a kiss on her forehead.

Jacqueline responded by putting her thumb to her chin, with her fingers sticking straight up. This was the sign for 'mother'. Brennan nodded at her, trying to smile a sincere smile when her heart was still breaking. She had heard so many of the other babies calling their mother's "Mommy" or "Mama" today and it made her sad that her daughter was not using her voice to ask for her.

"Maybe we should take her to a speech-language pathologist," Brennan suggested.

"I think that's jumping the gun Bones. Let's wait a bit longer. She is talking a bit."

"'Dada' does not qualify as a bit. Besides, how will we decided when it's time to take her? There is no concrete evidence or rules to follow. This is so frustrating!" she exclaimed standing up baby in arms.

"Honey, nothing about raising a child is easy. The most important this is that she is happy and healthy. Right?"

Brennan conceded but didn't say anything to him.

Jacqueline struggled in her mother's arms wanting to be released so she could go play some more.

"Mommy has to go work Jacqueline. Can I have a kiss?" She went and knelt close to her daughter, who walked over and hugged and kissed her mom.

Brennan gave Booth a lingering kiss and left the room. Booth was going to be hanging around until the nanny made it to the house.

Booth scooted closer to Jacqueline and picked up a block which she happily took and added back into her pile.

"We're going to have to practice this whole talking thing Jackie," he spoke to her, but more to himself. "You need to say mommy. Can you do that? Say mommy?" Booth knew that she knew what he was asking of her, but she didn't even try to make a sound.

Jacqueline looked at him, and then a smile grew on her face. It was a sneaky smile, one that brought out her features so she looked just like her mom. He loved it.

She reached for a block and held it out to him.

"Oh wow! Is that for me?" he asked. She nodded. "Thanks Wackie!" He reached forward and grabbed her rolling back to lie on his back holding her in the air above him.

Jacqueline let go of the block and it bounced off Booth's face. "Oww!" he said, though it didn't hurt that much. Jacqueline burst into giggles.

"That's funny is it?" he asked playfully. "Now you're in trouble!" he said as he leaned up to blow raspberries on her stomach, sending her into a new fit of giggles.


	9. No Girls Allowed

Enjoy and please drop me a note! I've been working slower and haven't had the most motivation recently. If you have any story line ideas, let me know and I'll see if anyting strikes me!

**No Girls Allowed-**

"I wanna go too!" a 5 year old Jackie complained.

"Sorry Wackie. Boy's weekend means no girls allowed," Parker winked at her.

Parker and Booth were going on a camping trip over the weekend. Jacqueline was feeling a little left out. They had spent the past couple of hours moving around her, trying to pack, while she tried to get involved in any way she could.

"Well how come you are doing a boys weekend and not one where I can come?" she asked disappointed.

"So we can spend time together," he answered her honestly.

"Doesn't daddy want to spend time with me?"

"I don't know Wackie. I guess he just loves me more," he joked.

Jackie's quick mind began to work through possible solutions to this problem.

"I won't be a girl anymore then! I can be a boy!" she told him.

"Oh yeah?" he smirked. "How are you going to do that?"

She contemplated for a moment. "I can cut my hair short like yours, and dress like you," she suggested.

"That wouldn't make you a boy, and I think Bones would not be too happy with that." Brennan liked to keep Jacqueline's hair long, since it took so long to grow in fully.

"It's my hair, and I can do what I want with it!" she insisted stubbornly.

Parker laughed at her and reached over to ruffle her hair. Jacqueline reached out and punched him in the stomach.

"Ow!" he said shocked by her strength. He pushed her back a bit.

"OWWWW!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Parker! Leave her alone," Booth yelled from the other room.

"I didn't do anything dad!" he defended. "God Jack-Jack, you can be such a brat!"

"Don't call me that!" she scowled.

"Whatever. You're still not coming!" he laughed, zipping up his bag.

Jacqueline burst into tears and ran into her parent's bedroom wailing. "Daddy!"

Booth picked her up, grabbing a tissue to wipe her eyes. "What's wrong Jellybean?"

"I want to come too!"

"Aww, I know you do honey, but this time it's going to be just me and Parker. You're going to stay here with Mommy and have a fun weekend doing all sorts of girly things that daddy doesn't like!"

"But I want to go with you... please daddy? Please?" she begged.

He had such a hard time resisting those big blue eyes.

"Come on Jacqueline," Brennan cut in. "If you want we can set up a tent and sleep in the backyard," she tried to compromise.

"Wow, doesn't that sound like fun?" Booth encouraged. "Maybe she'll even let you eat lots of junk food!"

"No! I don't want to sleep in the backyard. I want to go with you!"

"Sorry honey, but not this time. This is something that Parker and I are going to do together, and then when I get home, we'll do something special too. Ok?"

She didn't say anything, but she squirmed, so Booth put her down and she walked away going into her own room and closing the door.

Booth looked guiltily towards his wife.

"Don't worry. As soon as you leave she'll be fine. She just feels left out while all the preparations are going on."

* * *

When the car was all packed and they were ready to go, Booth went back into the house to say goodbye to Jacqueline.

Jacqueline was on her floor playing with a couple of Barbie dolls, changing their clothing into fancy party dresses.

"Can I get a goodbye hug and kiss Jackie?" he asked kneeling down.

Jacqueline didn't turn to look at him at all.

Booth frowned and moved closer to her. "I know you're mad at me right now, but I'll only be gone two days baby. You can call me whenever you want." He leaned forward and kissed her on the head. "Be a good girl for Mommy."

Booth got up and left her playing. Five minutes later he and Parker were gone.

* * *

Brennan knew how left out Jacqueline was feeling. She was going to try to do special things with her to help pass the time. She was thinking she would take her to get her nails painted.

As she made her way down the hall to her daughter's room, all thoughts were lost when she opened the bedroom door.

"Jacqueline!" she called frantically running forward.

Jacqueline was surrounded by a couple of Barbie's, which now sported haircuts somewhere between bald and spiked. She was in the process of taking the scissors to her own hair.

Brennan carefully removed the scissors from her daughter's hands. "Are you hurt? You didn't cut yourself did you?"

"No," Jacqueline told her not understanding what the big deal was.

"Jacqueline, what were you thinking? You know you're not supposed to take things from my office. You could have really hurt yourself."

"I was careful," she told her mother frowning.

Brennan began to assess the faux-coiffeuse job that her daughter had done to herself. Thankfully, she had not managed to cut off more than a small lock.

"Go sit on your bed and wait for me. I'm very disappointed in your behaviour."

Jacqueline frowned and her lower lip quivered, as she did as she was told.

Brennan cleaned up the hair that was on the floor, before coming in and sitting down next to Jacqueline.

"Can you please explain to me why you would cut your hair yourself?"

"I want to be a boy."

"I don't understand," Brennan told her daughter.

Jacqueline sighed at having to explain this to her mother. "So that I can go on a trip with Daddy too. Parker said I couldn't go because I'm not a boy."

"Sweetie, cutting your hair doesn't mean that you'll be allowed to go with them. Parker went with daddy, to spend some time with him, not because he's a boy."

"Doesn't he want to spend time with me?"

"Of course he does. He spends lots of time with you, because he lives here. Remember that Parker doesn't live with us a lot of the time."

"Is that why he loves Parker more than me? Because he doesn't see him all the time?"

"Jackie, why would you think that your daddy loves Parker more then you?" she asked shocked.

"Parker told me so."

Brennan sighed and made a mental note to talk to Parker about his use of sarcasm around his baby sister. "I don't know why he would say that to you, because it's not true at all. He loves both of you equally."

Jacqueline nodded.

"Do you feel better?"

"I think so. But when daddy gets back I'll ask him to make sure," she said decidedly. Brennan smiled and pulled her baby onto her lap, squeezing her in a tight hug. "You know how much I love you, right?"

" 'Course I do!" she giggled

"Do you want to play with your Barbie's some more?"

"My Barbie's look bad now."

"I agree. Did you want them to be boys too?"

"No, that's silly. I was practicing for my hair."

Brennan smirked. "Would you like to go buy a couple new ones?" she offered.

Jacqueline's eyes lit up and she nodded.

"Ok, let's go for a special _girl'_s only shopping trip then!"

* * *

After dropping Parker off at his mom's house, Booth came home. He was greeted by Brennan at the door.

"Hey Bones," he said embracing her and kissing her neck. "I missed you. It was cold at night, and I didn't have you to keep me warm."

"Mmm, I missed you too, but you stink."

"I smell like wilderness! It's fantastic," he teased.

"I suggest you shower if you want to sleep in my bed tonight."

"Bones," he said closer to her ear. "I'm going to be doing everything but sleeping with you in that bed tonight." He leaned in and captured her lips with a promise of what was to come.

"So did Parker have fun?"

"Yeah, he did. It was great. How's Jacqueline?"

"She's great. She's playing with her new Barbie's in her room."

"Is she still mad at me?"

"No, I don't think so. After you left she tried to cut her hair off though," she told him nonchalantly.

"What?" he asked disbelievingly. "Why?"

"Apparently Parker told her the reason she was being excluded was because she was not a boy. She tried to transform her gender."

"Oh Parker," Booth groaned. "I'll talk to him. I'm going to go say hi to Jackie."

He walked down the hallway and peeked into his daughter's room.

"Hi Jellybean," he said tenderly.

"Daddy!" She shrieked dropping her doll and running to him. "Hi Daddy!"

He scooped her up and kissed her more times then she could count.

"You can put me down now," she told him.

"No, I think I'll keep you here a bit longer," he smiled at her. "I missed you too much!"

"Really?" she asked him hopefully.

"Of course! Are you kidding? I missed your voice, and your giggles," he said tickling her stomach, "and your hugs and kisses!"

"Oh, so you do love me," she reasoned to herself.

"Of course I love you," he said putting her down and bending down to her level. "You thought because I didn't bring you with me and Parker that I didn't love you?" He felt his heart get heavy.

Jacqueline shrugged. "Maybe 'cause I'm not a boy and Parker is a boy."

"Jacqueline, listen to me, ok?"

She nodded.

"I love both you and your brother very much and I always will. No matter what. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she nodded. And she did.

"Ok come here again!" he said picking her up again and slinging her over his shoulder so she was dangling upside down. "Let's go see mommy, and you two can tell me about everything you did without me!"

"Ok!" she said, hands and hair dangling down. "Then you can play with me and my Barbie's!"

"Fantastic!" he told her. And although he really hated the idea of playing with dolls, at that moment, he truly didn't mind.

* * *

Review!


	10. Hot dogs!

I saw the gravedigger episode tonight because I live in Canada. Anyone else see it? I don't know whether to be sad or happy. That's all I will say.

Please review! It would make my day, cause I'm here and quite sick :(

* * *

"Jacqueline, please don't play with your food. Eat it."

"I don't like it. It tastes funny."

"That's ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with it."

"So you eat it..."

"Jacqueline," Brennan warned sternly.

"I want a hot dog," she pouted.

"Hot dogs are unhealthy and full of nitrates. I don't want you eating that junk," she explained.

"What? I have no idea what you just said."

"Nitrates are compounds added to hot dogs and cured meats to extend their shelf life and improve colour," Brennan explained. "A preservative. And some people think they may even be carcinogenic."

"Should I even ask what that means? Why can't you speak to me like other parents speak to their children?"

"You should not be talking back to me. And I am not other parents. I want you to be informed, and intelligent."

Jacqueline rolled her eyes. "Oh wait, I forgot. I'm not supposed to roll my eyes, they may get stuck like that, right?"

"What? There is no scientific evidence that says... Oh. That was sarcastic."

"Ugh."

"Enough. Please eat your supper."

"This tastes funny," she defied pushing her plate away from her. It clattered around a few times as it settled back on the table.

Brennan's eyes opened wide at her daughter's misbehaviour. "You better watch your mouth, and your actions."

"Or what?" she asked rhetorically. She almost didn't realize what she had said. Immediately she knew she had made a mistake, and her head snapped up to look into her mother's furious eyes.

"Stand up now, Jacqueline."

Jacqueline weighed her options carefully, but then decided to listen to her mother, and stood up quickly, knocking her chair back a little. She continued to look at her mother.

"Go to your room, and don't come back out until you're ready to apologize and eat your supper. Do you understand me?" she asked staring into her daughter's eyes.

Jacqueline nodded. She tried to fight back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"I didn't hear you. Use your words."

"Ok!" she said. As she turned to stomp off she yelled back, "Daddy lets me eat what I want! You're so mean! I _hate you!"_ and then Brennan heard her bedroom door slam.

It was the overreaction of a young girl to a small situation, but nonetheless, Brennan's heart sank. Her daughter said she hated her. This was one of her worst fears about becoming a parent. In her mind, all her worries about not being enough for her daughter were proving true.

* * *

Brennan tried many things to distract herself. None of them worked. Around 8 o'clock, as Brennan was cleaning the kitchen floor for the second time that night, in case she missed a spot, the phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Bones," Booth greeted cheerfully. "I'm on my way home. How's Jackie?"

"She hates me."

"What? Of course she doesn't. What happened?"

"We fought, she told me she hated me, and I sent her to her room," Brennan explained shortly. Her heart ached.

"That doesn't sound like her... what did you fight about?"

"What does it matter?" she questioned, losing her patience a little. "The cause is not the concern here. The point is that my daughter hates me."

Booth could hear her voice shaking. "Firstly, stop saying that, because it's not true. Look I'm almost home. I'll see you soon."

Booth flipped his phone shut and drove a little faster.

* * *

Booth walked into the kitchen to find his wife cleaning frantically.

"Bones, stop. Tell me what happened."

She gave him an exasperated look.

"Please? Help me put it in context."

"This is your fault," she accused him.

"What? What did I do?"

"You let her eat whatever she wants when she's with you. I try to feed her healthy food, and I'm the evil guy."

"Bad guy, Bones."

"Whatever!"

"Ok, ok, sorry. Look she doesn't hate you, she was probably mad because you didn't let her do what she wanted."

Brennan sighed. "I understand that that is why she is mad, but she wouldn't have said it in the heat of the moment unless it was something she was already feeling."

"No, that's not true. Kids tell their parents thing like that all the time. It doesn't mean anything. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"Do what you wish. I'm going to go out. I need to get my mind off things," she said turning to gather her things.

"Don't do that," he told her grabbing her arm gently.

"Don't do what?"

"Hide. Go to work, and exhaust yourself, rather than dealing with your emotions. She's still young. She needs guidance and needs understand what she did wrong, and why it is wrong."

Brennan looked at him, and he could read all the hurt in her eyes. "Please just let me go... I need to be by myself."

"Ok," he said, but not before he pulled her into a hug.

* * *

Booth sat on the couch watching television. He was waiting a while before going in to see Jacqueline, not wanting to impede on Brennan's punishment of sending her to her room.

"Hi daddy," he heard, and turned to see his daughter standing at the doorway.

"Hey, Jackie," he said giving her a sort of sad half smile.

"Where's mommy?" she asked looking around, a bit nervously.

"She went out for a while. She wanted some time to herself."

"You mean she went to work?"

"Probably."

Jacqueline didn't move or say anything for a long moment.

"I guess you heard what happened?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Are you mad at me too?" she asked frowning, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks.

"I'm not mad, but I am very disappointed in your behaviour," he told her honestly. "The way you treated your mother was completely uncalled for. We did not raise you to be disrespectful."

Jacqueline began to sob. "I know. I'm so sorry," she told him. "I didn't mean it. I don't know why I said it."

"Come here baby," he said holding out his arms. She walked over to him, and he lifted her onto his lap.

"I'm not who you need to apologize to. Look Jacqueline, I understand that you didn't mean what you said, but you're almost 8 now. It's old enough to know that you have to control your emotions. Telling someone you hate them are very strong words."

She nodded her head against his chest.

"I didn't mean it, I swear."

"I know you didn't, sweetheart."

"Mommy must be so mad at me."

"No, she's not mad at you," he told her honestly.

"Then why did she leave?" she asked pulling back to look at Booth's face.

"She's mad at herself."

"Why?" Jacqueline was truly surprised by this. "She didn't do anything wrong!"

"Well, you know that, and I know that... but your mom doesn't always think the same way we do. She's hurting. She thinks that she did something wrong. Something to make you hate her, so she's mad at herself."

"When is she coming home?"

"I don't know Jackie. Probably late." If at all, he thought.

"Can I call her?"

"If you would like, but I think you should wait until you see her to apologize."

"Ok. I'll go back to bed."

"Do you want something to eat first? You must be hungry."

"No thanks. I don't want anything." She was too upset to eat.

"Ok goodnight sweetheart. Everything will be ok," he hugged her again.

* * *

"You're home," Booth said, surprised that it wasn't even midnight.

Brennan shrugged. "I didn't want to sleep in me office."

"I'm glad. Jackie wanted to talk to you."

She looked at him, trying not to show her relief. "She did?"

"Of course she did. What did you think? That this was the end of your relationship?" he joked, and then regretted it immediately.

"Oh Bones. Come on... You couldn't have really thought... Really?"

"I didn't know what to think! We've never fought like that. She's never spoken to me like that..."

"Bones, it was a silly fight..."

"I know! But a lot kids have bad relationships with their parents. It has to start somewhere," she explained to him.

"Well not us. We worked too hard to get here. You and me, and Jacqueline. We won't let that happen, right?"

Brennan gave him a small smile.

"Right?" he repeated.

"Right".

* * *

"Mommy?" Jacqueline asked. She had heard her mother open her door.

"Yes."

"I'm so sorry!" Jacqueline exclaimed starting to cry again. "I didn't mean what I said. I don't hate you."

Brennan wasted no time in moving towards her daughter. Jacqueline stood up on her bed as her mother lifted her into her arms.

"It's ok, there's no need to cry, baby."

"You're the best mom, and I understand if you punish me for the rest of my life."

Brennan smirked. "I don't think that punishment would quite fit the crime. But you will be doing extra chores for the next week."

"That's ok. I deserve it."

"Oooh, you're getting too big for me to carry you like this," she said placing Jacqueline back down on the bed. "Now come on, it's past your bedtime."

Jacqueline laid down obediently. "I love you Mommy. I could never hate you."

"I love you too princess. I always have and I always will. No matter what, always remember that."

"Okay," Jacqueline said yawning.

Brennan kissed her head and left the room.

* * *

"Did you work everything out?"

"Yes, we did."

"Good. I knew you would."

"You did, huh?" she smiled.

"Of course! I know everything," he said smiling cockily.

"Oh yeah? What else do you know?" she teased climbing onto him so that she was straddling his lap.

"That I'm about to get lucky," he smiled leaning in for a kiss.

Brennan let out a seductive laugh, as she proved him right.

* * *

Hope you like it! Let me know!


	11. Mommy

Hello All! thanks for your lovely reviews!

I had intended to update with this chapter on Mother's Day... but you know. Anyways, better late then never. I had a couple requests for this subject, so please let me know what you think!

**Mommy's day**

**

* * *

**

"So sweetie, are you excited for Mother's day this weekend?" Angela asked walking into Brennan's office.

"No, not really," she told her friend honestly.

"Oh come on. Not at all Bren? Booth loves this stuff! He must have something exciting planned for you."

"Mother's Day, as it is currently practiced is one of the most commercialized holidays of all time. Being a mother is a privilege every day. I don't need some irrelevant day in May to know that my daughter loves me, and that Booth appreciates me."

"Ok sweetie. Whatever you say," Angela told her rolling her eyes and exiting the office.

Brennan turned to the picture of her daughter on her desk and smiled. She was already so big. The truth was that she didn't want to celebrate mother's day because deep down she was really worried about her daughter.

Jacqueline was still not talking. Other than her laughing, crying or whining, she was tight-lipped. They thought that after she said "dada" that they would begin to make progress, but she only said that when she was desperate for some sort of attention.

She was now two and half and, Booth and Brennan had taken her to all sorts of speech pathologists, doctor's, and even psychiatrists, who all declared the same thing. She was absolutely fine, just stubborn. She was capable of understanding conversation and ideas, but for whatever reason, she didn't feel the need to respond verbally. She would however, shake her head yes, or no. They reiterated the same facts: Jacqueline was not autistic, and did not have developmental, hearing or speech problems.

While Brennan and Booth were relieved to hear that their daughter was healthy and "normal", they were beyond frustrated. One specialist had said that he had seen this a couple of times before, where when the child did eventually speak, it would be in full sentences, rather than simple words.

Brennan had done endless research on the subject, but none of the suggestion in the books or research seemed to help.

* * *

Later that night, Brennan and Booth were eating supper with Jackie.

"I love take out!" Booth said happily, leaning back. "No dishes," he smiled poking Jackie in the stomach causing her to giggle.

"Seeley, please don't do anything for me for mother's day this year," Brennan said rather suddenly.

"What?" Booth asked surprised. "Where did that come from?"

"I was just thinking about it. I appreciate that you made the last two-years special, but it's not necessary."

"Of course it's necessary. You're a great mom. Right Jackie?" He asked looking at his daughter, who didn't respond but just nodded her head, while shoving peas into her mouth, and dropping most around her, and on to the floor. "See? Wackie agrees."

Brennan gave her daughter a half smile. "Thanks baby."

"Well what if Jackie already made you something?" he whispered, leaning closer to his wife.

"Well that's fine, but that's it," she said standing up, effectively ending the conversation.

Booth sighed, wondering if he should still give her the necklace that he had picked out for her.

* * *

"Jacqueline I said it's time for bed," Brennan said frustrated.

She was trying to put Jacqueline in her pyjamas for bed, but Jacqueline wasn't having it. She didn't want to stop playing with her dolls.

"Jacqueline, please? Mommy's tired," she tried to reason. Jacqueline did not budge, and would not look at her mother.

"If you ask me for more time, I'll let you play for another hour," Brennan tried bribing.

"You know you're not supposed to bribe her," Booth said coming up behind her.

She startled, and then looked at him guiltily.

"I know. I know, ok? I just..." she didn't finish. She just shook her head.

"It's ok Bones, we'll be perfectly fine. You'll see. She'll speak when she's ready."

"You can't know that. Please don't make promises you can't keep," she begged.

"I can and I will," he insisted. "When something is important enough to her, she'll say it. Why don't you go rest, I'll get this little monster ready for bed," he said moving forward and picking Jacqueline up off the floor.

She shrieked and tried to worm her way out of his grasp, but it was fruitless. He had a tight grasp, and let her wiggle. "Bed time now or no television the whole weekend," he told her firmly. Immediately she stopped fighting, knowing that he meant business.

"That's my girl."

Brennan sighed and left the room.

* * *

After Booth had Jacqueline tucked in her bed, he sat on the side of her bed.

"Ok Jackie, goodnight my big girl. How old are you again?" he asked her. "5 right?" he teased.

She shook her head no, and held up 2 of her fingers.

"Oh you're 2. I almost forgot," he smiled and leaned down to kiss her. "Good night Wackie."

Jackie reached her hand towards the door.

"Mommy?" Booth asked understanding.

Jackie nodded.

"Mommy is just a little tired baby. She's resting," he explained.

Jackie lifted her hand a touched it to her father's cheek.

"I love you too," he said in response.

Booth sighed. "I know you'll talk when you're ready. I guess you just haven't really needed to say anything yet." He kissed her head again, before tucking in her covers and leaving her room.

* * *

On Sunday morning Brennan was sitting at her desk working when she felt a tug on her skirt.

"Hi Jacqueline," she smiled running her fingers through her daughters growing hair.

Jacqueline held something up for her.

"Is this for me?" she asked, looking at the piece of folded red construction paper her daughter handed her. Jackie nodded.

Brennan pushed her chair back and lifted her daughter on to her lap so they could look at the card together. On the front there were all sorts of shapes and sequins glued on in no particular order. When she opened the card she read 'Happy Mother's Day, to the best Mommy in the whole world'. Obviously Booth had written it, and Jacqueline had scribbled around it.

"Thank you baby, I love it," she told her standing the card on her desk and kissing her on the cheek. "Ok, go play, Mommy has work to do," she told her putting her down on the floor.

Jacqueline however, reached for her hand and tugged.

"No I can't come play, I'm busy," she explained. "Go find daddy." She turned back to her work.

"Mommy," came a small voice grabbing Brennan's attention immediately.

"What?" she asked looking at her daughter. She was sure that she had in fact heard her daughter's voice.

"Come mommy," Jacqueline said this time.

Brennan let out a breath, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh Jacqueline!" she stood up and lifted her daughter into her arms. Showering her with tens of little kisses. Jacqueline giggled, but lavished her mother's attention.

"Mommy," she said again realizing that she was enjoying the response from her mom, that her speaking was getting her.

"Booth!" Brennan called, still clutching her baby in her arms. "Booth!" she called again.

Booth came barrelling into the room, on high alert. "What's wrong? What happened?" he asked panicked.

"She said it, Seeley!"

"What?" he asked still breathing heavily from his sprint into her office.

"She said 'mommy'!"

"What?" he smiled happily moving closer to them. "Let me hear Jackie. Can you say Mommy for me?"

Jacqueline, true to her nature was silent at the moment they most wanted her to perform.

Brennan kissed her forehead. "Come on baby, I know you can do it again."

Jacqueline said nothing, but rested her head against her mother's shoulder, her eyes starting to close sleepily.

Brennan sighed. She was so happy, but yet disappointed at the same time.

"It's ok Bones. I'll hear it another time. She looks exhausted. I think it's nap time!" he said reaching over to take Jackie from Brennan.

Jacqueline didn't realize the change of positions until Booth already had her down the hallways. She started to cry.

"I know, its ok Princess. Nap time now," he said reaching her room.

"Mommy," Jacqueline sobbed out causing Booth to stop dead in his tracks. He smiled realizing that in fact she was speaking, to achieve what she wanted most, just like he had predicted.

"Bones!" he called.

"What is it?" she asked rounding the corner to Jacqueline's room.

"I think someone wants you," he said.

"Mommy!" Jacqueline sobbed reached her arms out, going to her mother's arms.

This time Brennan did not manage to hold in her tears. She grabbed Jacqueline's baby blanket out of her crib, and settled down in the rocking chair, draping the blanket over them, as she rocked the love of her life into a peaceful slumber, as Booth managed to catch the moment with their camera, thinking that this was a much better present for his wife than a necklace.

* * *

Reviews make my day and make me smile :)


	12. Allergies

Sorry about the wait. Been having some writer's block... and have had very little time to write. I tries to rush this one on the editing to get it out to you, so sorry for any mistakes!

Also thanks to those who took the time to review. I'm still smiling!

This chapter is based on some true experience. Hope you enjoy reading it.

**Allergies-**

"So, which ones yours?" one of the mother's asked Booth as he stood in the backyard of a three year olds birthday party, watching Jacqueline interact with the other kids on the jumping castle.

"The little one in the denim skirt and the pink t-shirt," he said smiling as his daughter bounced up and down with her friends.

"Oh Jacqueline. She's so cute. Adam adores her," she told him.

"Thanks," he smiled proudly.

"Time for cake!" the birthday girl's mom called. Immediately a swarm of kids came bolting towards the table.

"Up daddy!" Jacqueline said reaching her arms up towards her dad so she could see over everyone else.

After blowing out the candles, the cake was passed out and quickly devoured by young kids who were eager to resume playing.

Booth was standing with some parents when he noticed Jackie sitting on the ground by herself. He excused himself to see what was wrong, thinking maybe someone hurt her feelings.

"Hey Wackie, what's wrong?"

"I don't feel good," she mumbled looking up at him.

"Too much cake?"

"I'm itchy," she told him holding out her arm.

Booth could see a bit of a rash, so he picked her up and brought her over to the other parents who were standing around.

"That looks like hives," Adam's mother said. "Is she allergic to peanuts?"

"Not that I know of. I'm not sure if she's ever had them before though," he told her, concern growing in his voice. Allergies were something that he never had to deal with. Neither Parker, Bones, nor himself were allergic to anything.

"I'll go ask Sandy if she has any children's antihistamine for her," she said helpfully as she went to find the host of the party.

Ten minutes later, and a small hysterical episode in which Jackie refused to drink the medicine, Booth succeeded in getting the medication in her, and had Jackie in her car seat ready to head home.

"Brennan," he heard through the phone.

"Hey Bones. We're heading home early."

"Why? Had enough?" she smirked.

"Well, I think Jacqueline may have had an allergic reaction to something. Probably peanuts."

There was silence for a moment while she processed this information.

"Is she okay? Can I talk to her?"

"She's falling asleep in her car seat. We gave her antihistamine, so she'll be out for a while. Have you ever given her nuts?"

"No. I tried to give her some peanut butter a few weeks ago, but she wouldn't eat it. You know how fussy she is about her food."

"Yeah, well, it was probably for the best. Go back to work. I'll call you when she wakes up.

"Ok. Tell her I love her," Bones said, sad that she wasn't with them.

"I will. I love you Bones."

"Love you too."

* * *

Booth was just nearing home when Jacqueline began to whine.

"What's wrong baby?" he asked glancing at her in the rear view mirror.

"My tummy hurts daddy," she cringed.

"Okay, we're almost home," he began, but was cut off when she gagged and began to throw up all over herself and the back of the car.

Booth quickly pulled the car to the side of the road and ran to her door. Jacqueline was crying now, obviously in shock, and what seemed like pain.

"Oh god baby," he said trying not to panic. He didn't know what was happening. She began to vomit again, and this time when she looked at him, her face was pale and under her eyes looked purple.

He ran back around the driver's seat, flicked on the sirens and drove as fast as traffic would allow, to the nearest emergency room.

Booth left the car by the emergency entrance and unbuckled Jacqueline from her car seat. He couldn't tell if she was half asleep, or half unconscious, and that terrified him.

"How may I help you?" the nurse asked looking up at him immediately from the triage desk. He and Jacqueline were quite a site, both covered in vomit, Jackie dangling limply in his arms.

"My daughter... I think she's having an allergic reaction. She's been throwing up."

"Did you give her an epi-pen?" she asked standing up.

"No, I don't have one. I didn't know she had allergies!"

"It's ok. Come this way," she said quickly leading him behind the double doors and into a room.

"Anaphylaxis emergency!" The nurse called to the nursing station in the emergency ward.

Booth felt like he was in a whirlwind all of a sudden. Several nurses swarmed the areas, pushing him back, and a doctor approach asking for 0.15 mg's of epi. They hooked her up to a blood pressure monitor, and held an oxygen mask to her face as well. He watched them lift his daughter's sleeve and insert the needle quickly. He was brought to when Jackie began to wail at the top of her lungs, in hysterics.

As the chaos began to subside, he moved towards his daughter and held her hand rubbing her hair, and speaking soothing words. He wasn't sure if it was the trauma of the situation, or the drugs, but her eyes began to shut and she drifted off.

"Sir," the doctor spoke, removing his gloves and approaching Booth.

"Is she ok?" he asked holding back tears.

"I believe she will be fine. Did you give her any medication?"

"Yes. I gave her some children's antihistamine, about an hour ago, but she might have thrown it up."

"Ok, well she's stable now. It seems she did have an anaphylactic reaction to something. Her blood pressure was low, as well as her intake of oxygen. We gave her a dose of epinephrine which reduced her symptoms," he explained.

"So she's fine now?"

"Well, we're not sure. There is always the risk of a secondary reaction. To be sure, I'm going to give her a second histamine blocker, and put her on an intervenes drip of a small dose of steroid, and saline, to prevent a further reaction and to keep her hydrated, since I can see she vomited, and probably lost a lot of fluids," he said motioning to Booth's soiled clothes, from carrying her. "I'll be back to check on her, and we'll try to get her moved into a more private room immediately."

Booth thanked the doctor.

"Here," he heard from behind him and turned to see a nurse with a pair of scrubs. "I thought you might want to change."

"Thanks," he smiled sadly. "I don't want to leave her. I'll change when she's moved to her room."

"No problem. Do you want me to call anyone for you? Your wife maybe?"

"Oh god!" he hadn't called her. She was probably wondering why they weren't home yet. He rubbed his hands over his face. He should call her, but he couldn't leave Jacqueline. "Sure," he said giving her Brennan's cell number.

* * *

He heard her before he saw her, asking about what room they were in.

"Bones," he called to her stepping outside the room.

"Where is she?" she demanded walking swiftly over to him, and entering the room.

"Oh baby," she sobbed seeing her daughter hooked up to IV tubes, oxygen in her nose, and lying in a big bed, that made her look even smaller than she was.

Brennan kissed Jacqueline's forehead, and brought her hand to her cheek, rubbing soothingly, even though she was asleep.

Finally she turned to Booth who had been standing back. He could tell she had been crying and her eyes... well if looks could kill. Without saying anything she walked up to him and pushed him hard with both her hands, sending him stumbling back a few steps.

"Oww Bones!" he exclaimed.

"Shhh!" she scolded, walking out into the hall, and then turning on him again.

"How could you not have called me?" she accused angrily. "Mrs. Brennan, your daughter has been admitted to the emergency room," she mimicked. "That should have been you! You said she was fine!"

"I'm sorry! She was fine... and then she wasn't. It happened so fast. I didn't want to leave her. It all happened so fast," he repeated.

"How is she?" Brennan asked stepping into the room again to look at her daughter. She brought her hand to her mouth, at the site of her pale daughter. She closed her eyes and tried to gain control over the tears that were falling fast from her eyes.

"She's fine. She'll be fine."

"Has she woken up?" she asked moving to her daughter's side.

"About 15 minutes ago. She was crying for you. She doesn't understand what happened, or why she's here."

"Baby," Brennan soothed in her daughter's ear, planting kisses on her cheek and forehead.

"We'll take her for allergy testing when she's better. If it's just an allergy to nuts and peanuts we can manage. It's common enough."

"Do you want to sit down? She may be asleep for a while," Booth asked when she didn't say anything.

"I was so scared. Kids die from anaphylactic reactions," she said not taking her eyes off her daughter.

"I know. But she didn't. She's going to be ok, and that's all you need to focus on. It could be worse."

"I hate that expression. It could also be better."

"We're going to be alright Bones, you know that right? Jackie will be fine," he reassured pulling Brennan into a hug.

"I hope so. I don't think I could love without either one of you."

Booth held her tighter. "I promise you won't have to."

* * *

Let me know what you thought! It only takes a minute!


	13. Big Girl's Club

Thanks for all the reviews! I'm so glad everyone is still enjoying this!

I had a bit of block, recently, but all of our reviews have pushed me to keep going! Thanks so much!

* * *

"Where's Mommy again?" Jackie asked climbing into her bed.

"She went out with Aunt Angela. Girl's night," he told her. She lay down, and Booth lifted the covers to her chin, and sat down on the side of her bed.

"I'm a girl. Why wasn't I invited?" She pouted.

"Sorry Wackie, big girls only," he explained.

"So when I have tits I'll be invited too?" she asked curiously.

Booth seemed to be choking on the air all of a sudden. His face turned red and he couldn't seem to find his words. His baby girl growing up way to fast. 5 going on 25. And using words like... that.

Jacqueline looked at him waiting for an answer.

"Where did you hear that word?"

"What word?"

"The one you just used... you know."

"Tits?"

"Yeah, that one."

"Parker," she said. She had been spying on him and his friend when she heard it.

"Well that's not a word you should be using. Especially around your mother."

"Why not?"

"It's not a word little girls use, and it's not the proper word," he explained.

"So what should I say then?

"Um..." he fumbled. It's not that he was not willing to say the word 'breasts' to his young daughter. It's just that it embarrassed him. He knew it was silly.

"Daddy?" she prodded. "Answer me, daddy."

"Breasts."

"Oh ok," she responded, but she didn't seem satisfied, brows furrowing, like her mother's do.

"Ok?"

"Ok."

"Do you want to ask me something else baby?" he asked, and was hoping he wouldn't regret it.

"Do you look at pictures of breasts on the computer too?" she asked completely innocently.

_Oh god._ It was worse than he anticipated.

"Did you see Parker looking at pictures like that?" Booth asked anger growing inside him, that his son could be so careless as to let his little sister see him doing it. He couldn't quite be mad at him for looking at porn... What young teenage boy didn't?

"I don't know. Should he?"

"No, no he shouldn't! That's something only grown-ups do. When they are very old, and they love each other, and they are married." He didn't mean for his tone to be so harsh.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked surprised, widening her eyes.

"No baby, I'm not mad at you. You just surprised me with your question. Where did you hear about someone looking at pictures like that on the computer?"

"Adam's mommy and Daddy don't live together. He told me that whenever he goes to his daddy's there are pictures of tit... breast on the computer."

"Oh. Well you should tell Adam that you are a lady and he shouldn't tell you things like that next time he tries," he told her kissing her forehead.

Jacqueline giggled. "That's silly."

"You're silly!" Booth said glad for the distraction, tickling Jacqueline through the covers. She squirmed and laughed.

"Daddy?" she asked when he stopped tickling her.

"Yes, Jackie?" he asked, even more afraid of what would come out of her mouth.

"When will I have big ones? Like Mommy does?"

_Oh god._ "When you're older. Much older," he explained. "But everyone's are different, so... yeah... Time for bed!"

"But what if I want to ask more questions?"

"I think you are trying to waste time to not have to go to bed," he said wiggling his finger in front of her nose, and then poking it, causing her to laugh again. "Goodnight Jackie," he said kissing her forehead.

"Night Daddy! I love you lots and lots!"

"And I love you even more," he said turning off the light, and closing her door.

#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

When Brennan returned home, it was after midnight. She quietly entered the bedroom, and found Booth still awake, watching television.

"Hey, how was your night?" he asked her.

"It was good. I must admit that I am a little inebriated. I drank more than I intended too," she smiled, as she removed her shirt and slipped her skirt down her legs. "How was your evening with Jacqueline?"

"It was fine. I had an interesting conversation with your daughter."

Brennan stopped pulling her covers back to look at him. She sighed. "What did she ask you? It must have been bad. You only call her my daughter when it's something you'd rather not answer," she smirked.

"She wanted to know why she wasn't invited out on your girl's night. She asked if it was because she didn't have breasts yet."

Brennan smiled. "She said that?"

"Well no. She didn't say breasts. She said tits."

"It might be my current blood alcohol level... But I find that very humorous," she told him climbing into bed and snuggling into him.

"She also asked me if I look at porn on the internet."

This got Brennan's attention, and she raised herself to turn and face him. "She asked you about pornography?"

"That Adam is a bad influence. And I'm going to run a background check on his father," he mumbled.

"Well what did you tell her?" she asked out of curiosity, especially because it was such an uncomfortable topic for him.

"I told her it's something married people do when their older.

Brennan laughed out loud.

"What?" he asked.

"You told our daughter that married couples look at pornography together?" she laughed again.

"I didn't know what to tell her!"

"No, no, there's nothing wrong with that. I just... find it curious..." she trialed off, knowing it would catch his interest.

"What is curious about it?"

"Well, that you would tell her that. When have we ever done that together?"

"You want to look at porn with me?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm not... opposed to the idea. Is that something you would enjoy? Perhaps watching two women together would heighten your arousal?"

Before she knew what was happening he grabbed her and flipped her so she was lying under him, his weight pining her down.

"You don't even know how hot you are," he mumbled as he captured her lips in a frantic kiss. "Even after all these years, you still drive me wild like the first time..."

He discarded her bra and buried his face between her breasts, grinding himself against her warm core. Brennan moaned in absolute bliss, fingers working to remove his boxers.

"Mmm, and those noises you make... You are all I need," he told her lovingly.

"Does that mean," she gasped as he sucked on her nipple, "that you don't want to watch porn with me?"

"Only if it's a solo performance and you're the star..." he told her.

"Perhaps I could arrange for that..." she said not quite jokingly.

"I sure as fuck better be the camera man Bones!" he said pulling the covers over them, and joining her in another round of marital bliss.

* * *

Please Review!


	14. Travel

Happy father's day!

I didn't get many reviews last time... I hope you are all still liking this! Please let me know...

* * *

Travel—

"All I'm saying is that I think that you should consider this decision with the impartiality of a judge deciding the verdict of an accused person at trial," Jacqueline explained to her parents, who she had gathered together on the couch in their living room, to plead her case.

"You want us to treat you like a criminal?" Booth asked, jokingly. Jacqueline was not amused.

"Dad, if you can't take this seriously, then maybe you should leave," she suggested in complete seriousness.

Brennan smirked and looked at Booth, who was looking in disbelief.

"Jacqueline, what exactly is it that you want from us?" Brennan asked her daughter. This is a very formal meeting you have arranged".

"Well, as you know I am in grade 10 this year. Several students, who have high academic achievement, have been offered the chance to participate in a research project. Sort of like a field trip."

"You were chosen? Great job Jackie!" Booth said proudly.

"Of course she was," Brennan told him. "She's at the top of her class."

"Bones, I know... I'm trying to show some support and encouragement..."

"Ahem," Jackie interrupted.

"Sorry, we're listening," Brennan told her.

"Anyways, I would really like to go on this field trip, which is for educational purposes," she explained.

Booth knew something was up. He could tell by his daughter's manner of approaching the subject that it was not just a field trip. Brennan didn't notice.

"What do we need to sign?" she started to ask, only to be cut off by Booth.

"Hang on Bones. Jackie, where exactly is this field trip?"

She didn't answer right away.

Brennan looked at her daughter searchingly. "Jacqueline?"

Jackie sighed. "It's in Greece, but please listen...!" She started to say, but it was too late.

"Greece as in Europe Greece? Not like to see Grease the play?"

"Europe dad," she said resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Absolutely not," Booth said standing up. "My 14 year old daughter is not going to go running around Europe. No. Ugh uh. No way."

"Dad! You're not even listening! And I'll be 15 when we go!" She began losing her calm and collected persona.

"I don't care if you'll be 16, or 17, or 18 for that matter! My daughter is not going to go gallivanting off to another country, with minimal supervision by some school teachers. No."

"You always do this!" she yelled back at him, the tears beginning to fall down her face. "You're so protective of me! I'm not a baby!"

"You could have fooled me," he retorted.

"You would have never acted this way if I were Parker! You always favourite him!"

"I do not! He's a boy! It's not the same!"

"You're so narrow-minded!"

Booth stuck his finger out in front of him, and opened his mouth to say something, when Brennan stood up.

"Enough!" she said firmly, and loudly. "Sit down, both of you."

They both complied, sitting down onto their respective seats.

"Now Jacqueline, stop crying, and Booth stop yelling."

Jacqueline crossed her arms and looked at her lap. She was frustrated and fuming. She knew this was going to happen.

"This is your fault Bones," Booth told her.

"What? Why?"

"This is what we get for sending her to a fancy expensive private school. Who takes 14 year olds to Europe?" He huffed.

"I'm not having this discussion with you again. Jacqueline is exceptionally intelligent, and this is just another opportunity for her to be able to increase her experiences, and knowledge first hand."

Jacqueline looked up hopefully at her mother.

"Wait?" Booth said. "You think she should go? Are you crazy?"

"My sanity has nothing to do with this decision. I don't see why she can't go. Obviously this is something that the school deems to be acceptable. Do you have a form?" she asked her daughter.

Jacqueline, who now had hope restored, jumped up to hand it to her mother.

"No! I don't agree to this. I will not sign the form," he huffed. "Bones there is not going to be enough supervision. They're going to stay in hotel rooms by themselves!"

"Not by themselves, it says double occupancy," she pointed out on the form. "And it only needs one parent's signature."

"But there will be boys..." he tried, grasping at near nothing now.

"I'm sure the boys will not be in the same room," Brennan responded seriously.

"Look at the price! 4000 dollars? That's a lot of money! Do you have any idea how much money that is Jackie?" he asked disbelievingly.

"I do! I'll pay for part of it, I promise."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. Money is not an object."

"Bones!"

"What?" she shrugged, "It's not."

"I know, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't teach her the value of a dollar."

"I understand dad, please!" she begged.

"What about her nut allergies? What if something happens?" he asked.

This was a point that Brennan could not ignore.

"I'll have my epi-pens, and I'm fully capable of asking what's in the food. I've been reaction free for over two years!" she explained. On average most people with anaphylaxis suffer at least one allergy a year, so that was a pretty good point.

"Jacqueline, would you mind leaving us alone to talk for a minute?" She asked her daughter.

Jacqueline didn't need to be told twice. She walked quickly to her room and tried to listen through a crack.

"Booth, I know the money is not your main objection here, so what's the problem?"

"I don't know. I just don't like it."

"Well I think you're going to have to come up with something better than that if we're going to tell her she can't go. I will not tell her no without a logical reason."

Booth was silent.

"Look, don't you want Jacqueline to have the opportunities that we never had with our parents?"

"Of course, I do Bones. But I also don't want her coming back pregnant or anything."

Brennan laughed.

"It's not funny!"

"Realistically speaking, she does not have to go to Greece to get inseminated Booth. That could happen here too, you do realize."

"Ugh Bones. Don't say it like that. She's still my baby."

"She is not a baby. She is growing into a women, and you will not be able to prevent her from her engaging in intercourse if she so chooses, here or in Europe. "

"Oh please, don't say it like that! Jackie's a good girl. She's on the honour roll and she doesn't have sex. Let's leave it at that," he said growing more significantly uncomfortable as the conversation progressed.

"I fail to see how being on the honour roll, affects one's ability to engage in sexual intercourse. Perhaps you should consider investing in a chastity belt," she mocked.

"Ok, ha-ha. Enough. The fact remains that she will be far away, and we have no ability to protect her. I'm not comfortable."

"And when she graduates from high school in two and half years, and goes to college are you going to be comfortable then?"

"No, of course not."

"Let's at least go to the parent information night. Talk to them about her allergies, and see what they think. It's only for 12 days. If you don't fairly consider this, she is not going to forgive you easily," Brennan reasoned. "If you don't start thinking and treating her as the young women she is, you're going to lose her."

Booth sighed, and pouted. "Fine, but I'm not agreeing to this yet."

"Thank you, Booth," Brennan said kissing him. "Jacqueline!" she called.

Jacqueline came running into the room. "Thank you, thank you!" she cried happily, kissing her mom, and then throwing her arms around her father's neck.

"Don't thank me. I didn't agree to anything," he told her still pouting.

"I know daddy. But I know you, and I know what that means!" she said trying to hold in some of her excitement. "I love you daddy!" With that she ran back out of the room to call her best friend.

"You have made your daughter one very happy girl," Brennan smiled sitting down closer to him. "You're a terrific father."

"I'm not happy, and you shouldn't be either. Why is this so easy for you?"

"I was alone most of my life," she shrugged. "If I could do it without support, I'm sure Jacqueline will manage just fine."

Booth sighed.

"What if I cheer you up?" Brennan said sliding her hand under his shirt.

"That may help a little..." he said relaxing into her touch.

"You think she'll be on the phone for a while?" She asked seductively.

"God I hope so!" he said, turning to a much more pressing issue, and momentarily forgetting his other troubles.

* * *

Please make my day!


	15. Who you gonna call?

Oops! Didnd't mean to be gone so long! I've been sort of dry on the idea front. I'm willing to take any suggestions to help me get the juices flowing and updating again!

I am moving next week, but I'll try to have another out soon!

Reviews may help me too. Just saying... :)

* * *

"I'm home," Brennan called as she stepped into her house.

"Hey Bones," Booth called from the living room.

"What are you watching?" she asked entering the room and leaning down to place a kiss on her daughter's head. "Hi Parker," she said ruffling his hair.

"Hi Bones," Parker replied still watching the TV.

Jacqueline didn't respond. Her eyes were fixed wide on the screen.

"It's Ghostbusters," Booth replied smiling. "Wanna watch?"

"No thanks, I have more work to do."

"Come on, it's Sunday, all you've done is work!"

She shrugged and was going to answer, when Jacqueline let out a small shriek of surprise.

"Booth, this is too scary for her! She's not going to sleep later."

"Oh come on, it's Ghostbusters!"

"You say that like it's supposed to mean something to me," she looked down at her daughter with concern.

"Jackie you're not scared are you?" he asked his daughter.

She looked from her mom to her dad. In truth she was very scared, but she knew if she said yes, her mom wouldn't let her watch the rest of it with her dad and Parker.

She shook her head, "No."

"That's my girl!" Booth smiled.

"This is a bad idea," Brennan reiterated. "You'll be sorry later." With that she turned and left the room.

* * *

"Oh god, I'm so close," he groaned and he quickened his pace, moving hard, over and over again into pure bliss.

"Oh me too," she moaned, fingers brushing through his hair, and grabbing onto some. "Seeley, yes! Mmm... just like that," she called feeling herself close to the edge.

"Daaaaaddy!" they heard from the other room. "Moooommy!"

"Booth," Brennan interrupted.

"Ignore it," Booth said, keeping up his pace.

"Mooooommy! I need you!" a little voice called again more pleadingly, with a shaky voice.

"Booth, come on," Brennan said trying to pull away.

"Come on, don't do this Tempe... we're so close..." he begged, not wanting to stop or slow down.

"Please move... I can't do this while she's pleading for me from the other room," she said pushing him away.

Booth flopped back on his back, panting, in sheer sexual frustration. "Ugh," he groaned. He was rock hard and horny as hell.

"I told you this was going to happen. This is your own fault..." she told him shaking her head and getting up.

Brennan grabbed her robe from the floor, putting it on quickly as she hurried from the room.

Brennan opened her daughter's door to find her standing on the middle of her bed.

She switched on her light. "What's wrong Jacqueline?"

"I saw a ghost," Jacqueline said, squinting from the bright light. She covered her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to look at her mother, and adjust to the light.

"Jackie," she said softly turning off her lights again, and turning on her bedside lamp instead. "Ghosts aren't real. That was just a movie." She sighed. Booth was going to pay for this.

Jacqueline shook her head. "But I saw one!"

"Lie back down, and close your eyes."

"No, please don't make me," she whined pulling her eyebrows together and frowning.

Brennan contemplated. She was usually very strict about bed time and her daughter sleeping in her own bed, but at the same time she didn't like the idea of her being frightened all night.

"Ok, I'll tell you what. You can sleep with me and daddy tonight," she said a bit smugly. That would serve him right.

"Jacqueline's coming!" Brennan called as a quick warning for him to cover up.

"Yay!" she said hopping down off her bed and running down the hall into her parent's room.

* * *

Booth laid back still frustrated waiting for Brennan to come back, so he could pounce on her and continue where they left off. After a couple of minutes, that idea was crushed when he heard her call down the hall that Jacqueline was on her way to their room.

"Shit," he said while grabbing his boxers off the floor and slipping them on just in time.

"Daddy!" she said excitedly lifting her arms for her father to lift her onto the high bed.

"HeyWackie," he said, now clad in his discarded boxers. "What's going on?"

"I'm sleeping with you and mommy tonight!" she said proudly, snuggling in next to her dad.

Brennan entered the room watching Booth's reaction.

"Bones?" he asked a look of pleading on his face. He tried to get across that he wanted to finish their earlier interrupted activities quite eagerly.

"I warned you that this would happen..." was all she said, before climbing into bed and switching off the light.

She heard him mutter something about 'blue balls'.

* * *

The next night proved no better for Jacqueline... or them.

"Goodnight Jacqueline," Brennan said for at least the fifth time in the past half hour. She turned off her daughter's light and closed her door almost all the way.

Before she had even made it halfway back down the hallway, she saw her daughter's light turn back on. She groaned and went back, opening the door.

"Jacqueline, enough. You have to go to bed."

"I'm scared!" she whined looking at her mother with wide fearful eyes.

"I told you sweetie," she said picking up her daughter again and putting her down on the bed, "Ghosts don't exist. It was just a movie."

"But I see them when it's dark!" she exclaimed.

"No, you're just overtired and your mind is playing tricks with your vision," she explained. However, to a 5 year old, this explanation was not nearly good enough.

"When's daddy coming home?"

"In a couple of hours. He's out with Parker. But he will tell you exactly what I am. Now go to sleep."

"I think I'll wait for him," she said decidedly heading for the door.

"Absolutely not! Get into your bed now," she said sternly. Jacqueline didn't dare disobey when her mother used that tone.

"I'll leave your lamp on, but close your eyes, and try to sleep," she said as she tucked her in and kissed her goodnight again.

* * *

Brennan waited down the hall for a couple of minutes but didn't hear anything so she went back to her writing.

After 20 minutes she decided to check on Jacqueline to see if she had fallen asleep, but instead she found Jacqueline sitting up on her bed, quietly sobbing, face streaked with tears.

She stared, shocked at how upset her daughter was. She had though this new ghost fear was just an excuse to postpone going to bed, but she truly did seem to be very frightened.

"Don't cry sweetheart," Brennan said walking to her daughter, who eagerly reached up for her mother. "You're safe. Come, you can sleep with me again tonight," she soothed rubbing her daughter's back.

Jacqueline wrapped her legs around her mother's waist and rested her head on her mother's shoulder, and sobbed, taking comfort in her safe warm embrace.

When Booth got home it was just after 11. He went to check in on Jacqueline but found her door open, and bed empty. He went into his bedroom to find Brennan sitting up reading, and Jacqueline asleep in the middle of the bed.

* * *

"Hey Bones. Is Jackie sick?"

"No, she's terrified," she answered rather coldly.

"Of what?"

"What do you think Seeley? That foolish Ghost Destroyer movie you let her watch with you and Parker."

"First of all, it's Ghost Buster's and it's a classic... And second, she said she wasn't scared anymore when I talked to her today."

"She's five! She doesn't know how she will react. She depends on her parents for that," she whispered angrily trying not to wake their sleeping child. "You need to set boundaries."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I didn't know she would react this way. I watched it with Parker when he was around her age."

"Well, Parker and Jacqueline don't have the same personalities. You can't treat them the same. Next time listen to me when I suggest something is not a good idea."

"Ok, ok. So she'll sleep with us again tonight, no big deal," he reassured simply.

Brennan did not share his confidence.

* * *

The next day was even worse. Booth and Brennan tried everything from comforting Jacqueline, to threatening her to get her to go to bed, and stay in her bed, but she would not be reasoned with.

Booth decided to try sitting with her in her room until she fell asleep. As soon as he was sure she was out, he quietly snuck out of the room, and into his own.

Brennan looked up at him as he walked into the room, not saying anything. She was still annoyed with him.

Booth had just finished changing when they heard the call again.

"Daddy!" Jacqueline shrieked from down the hall.

"She's still up?" Brennan asked looking up from her book.

"I didn't think so..." Booth commented. "She must have heard me leaving."

"Daaaaddy!"

"Go to her," Brennan told him.

Booth sighed. "Maybe we should leave her, see if she falls asleep on her own."

Brennan shook her head at him, and got up out of bed. "I'm not going to let her sit there and cry herself to sleep, because you made a bad decision by letting her watch that movie."

Booth sighed. "Ok, I know I made a bad decision. We've been over that. I'm just saying if we get her used to sleeping with us, she's not going to want to sleep by herself. It will end up being harder in the long run."

"Fine. I won't bring her in here," she said walking out of the room.

When she did not return soon after, Booth went down the hall only find his wife curled up in bed with their daughter.

"Bones, are you coming back to bed?" he whispered.

"No. I'll be staying in here with Jacqueline tonight."

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. He headed back to bed alone.

Brennan realized that Booth had been right. Over the next few nights, Jacqueline did in fact get used to sleeping with them, and when they would try to put her to bed, she would end up in their room, and eventually with Brennan sleeping in her bed with her.

Brennan was exhausted. Jacqueline tossed a lot in the night and thus proving to be a restless night for her as well.

"Bones, we have to do something about this. It's becoming a really bad habit, and you're exhausted."

"Then you can sleep with her tonight," she reasoned. "This is your doing anyways," she muttered.

"Ok, ok, I know. But that's not a solution. How long are we going to keep this up? Weeks? Months?"

Brennan sighed giving in. "I know. It's a problem."

"We need to be strict. Put her to bed, and every time she comes out or calls, go to her, but insist she sleeps in her own room. She'll fall asleep eventually."

"I can't do it," Brennan told him honestly. "I cannot sit and listen to m daughter cry and not go to her."

Booth opened his arms, and she moved in them, and he soothingly caressed her back.

"You go out tonight, and I will deal with it. Call Angela, or go see a movie or something."

"I don't know. I feel like I should be here."

"Don't worry about it, really. You put Jackie to bed all the time without me. It's the same thing."

* * *

So that night after Brennan had said goodbye and goodnight to Jacqueline, she left Booth to his task of putting their daughter to bed.

After tucking her in the first time, Booth sat himself down in the hallway outside her door.

It wasn't even 5 minutes before the knob turned, and Jacqueline emerged.

"Oh daddy, you scared me," she told him surprised to see him there.

"Turn around, and back into bed."

"But..."

"Jackie, you have 10 seconds. 10, 9, 8, 7..." he continued as she scrambled and did as he said. Counting almost always worked.

"Daddy!" she called from her bed.

"Go to sleep Jacqueline. I'm right outside."

"But I'm scared!"

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm outside your door, keeping you safe," he tried to reassure.

"But it's _in_ my room!"

Booth closed his eyes and silently prayed for a way to deal with this.

He got up and opened her door. "Don't move. I'll be right back. I know how to get rid of it!" he said enthusiastically, as an idea came to him.

A couple minutes later Booth returned wearing a winter hat, with earflaps, a pair of Brennan's goggles from the lab, and carrying the vacuum cleaner, under his arm, with the hose in his opposite hand.

"Where's the bad guy?" he asked charging into Jacqueline's room. Jacqueline gasped.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah baby, it's me. I borrowed some stuff from the Ghostbusters! Where should I look?"

"The closet!" she said enthusiastically bouncing on her bed.

Booth moved towards the closet, the electrical cord unravelling, as he pressed the on button, the machine coming to life. He pretended to suck in from all different directions and corners, and when he was satisfied with his show, he hit the off button and turned to face his daughter. She was staring at him with wide eyes.

"Are they gone daddy?"

"Yup! I got them all! Do you want to come check?"

She nodded her head, and dropped down on to her bottom and slithered off the bed, and over to her father to inspect the closet.

"How did I do?" he asked.

"All gone! Thanks daddy!"

"Ok, let me put the buster away, and I'll come tuck you in." A couple minutes later Jacqueline was safely tucked in her bed.

"Ok Jellybean. You know where I am if you need me right?"

She nodded, and let out a yawn.

"Goodnight," Booth said as he stood and left her room, closing the door behind him. He waited a few minutes, but to his relief he heard no movement. He smiled to himself, proud of what he managed to accomplish.

Brennan got home around 11pm, and was a little nervous of what situation she would find when she walked into the house. With her daughter's recent behaviour, anything was possible.

She closed and locked the door behind her, and dropped her keys and purse and hall table, just as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and turn her around.

"You surprised me," she smiled, just as her husband's lips found hers. He took control and moved his hands to the hem of shirt and started to pull it over her head.

"Where's Jacqueline?" Brennan managed to ask, as Booth moved his kisses to her neck.

"Asleep. Ghosts gone," he muttered.

"How did you..."

"Shhhh..." he said kissing her again and then moving a finger to her lips to silence her. "We can talk all night if you want, but I've had blue balls since the other night, and if I don't make love to you soon, I think I'm going to explode."

Brennan turned from him and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" he asked?

"I don't want to get dirty when you explode," she told him smirking.

Booth smiled, and sprinted towards her, grabbing her and throwing her over his shoulder.

"Booth!" she squealed smacking his bottom as she hung upside down. "Put me down!"

"Only if you promise to play nice."

"What if I promise not to play nice at all," she asked in a manner that made his crotch twitch.

He laughed. "Only if you promise..." And with that he dropped her gently on the bed, and rewarded himself for a successful evening.

* * *

Reviews would make my day!


	16. Baby Boy

Sorry for the long delay! didn't feel much like writting! I hope you like this. Also, sorry for any mistakes, I just really wanted to get this posted!

* * *

Brennan and Booth were in her doctor's office, waiting for her 20th week appointment.

"Do you want to know the gender of the baby?" Doctor Gold asked, and she squeezed some ultra sound gel onto Brennan's stomach.

"Well, I didn't," Booth smiled. "But when your wife can read the sonogram..." he trailed off.

Dr. Gold smiled. "Ah. I see. Wife wins by default," she laughed.

"Yes, I figure there is no sense in waiting. I'd like to be fully prepared," Brennan told them. And she truly meant it.

While she didn't order anything for the baby's room yet, since Booth insisted it would be "bad luck", she did research instead. Very thorough research. If fact she talked Booth's ear off about strollers, and crib safety. Of course he cared about his baby's safety, but she was getting repetitive. He wasn't exactly concerned with sufficient basket space under the stroller.

"Ok, let's see what's going on," the doctor said flipping on the screen. "Everything looks good... hmm..."

"What? What's wrong?" Booth asked, holding Brennan's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Nothing is wrong. Your baby is lying in a position that makes it difficult to read the sex. But I'm 90 per cent sure it's a boy!"

"I would be inclined to agree," Brennan said.

"A boy! Bones did you hear that?"

"Yes, Booth. My hearing is fine," she smirked. "I thought you were hoping for a girl?"

"Well, just because I have Parker, but I really don't care! A boy!" Booth explained kissing her forehead. "Baby boy Booth!"

Brennan closed her eyes, and breathed a sigh. She was just happy that the baby seemed to be healthy.

* * *

"Hi Bones," Parker called running into the living room, Booth trailing behind. He had just picked him up from school.

Parker ran up to Brennan, and climbed onto the couch next to her. "Can I?" he asked her. This was the normal routine now, when Parker stayed with them. He couldn't wait for the new addition to the family.

"Of course," she said shifting, so he could have a better angle to touch her belly.

Parker placed both hands on her stomach. "Hi baby," he said bringing his lips close down to her stomach.

"We found out some news today," Brennan told Parker.

"What kind of news?" he asked sceptically.

"Good news!" Booth said lifting Parker up so he could sit next to Brennan, and then settled Parker in his lap.

"What is it?"

"You're going to have a baby brother," Booth told him.

Parker didn't say anything. Brennan looked a little nervously towards Booth.

"Well aren't you going to say anything?" he asked his son.

"No."

"Why not?" Booth was puzzled. "You always have something to say," he chided.

"I mean no, I'm not going to have a brother," he tried to clarify.

"Yes you are, Parker. We were at the doctor today," Brennan explained.

"Well, I think the baby is a girl. I wanted a little sister, and I just know it. I can feel her in there."

"There is no evidence to back up..." Brennan started but Booth held up a hand to cut her off.

"Parker, it's nice that you wanted a sister, but Bones is going to be having a baby boy. You'll get to teach him all sorts of cool things, when he gets older."

Parker thought this over, and then shrugged. He figured he could let them think what they wanted. "What are you going to name him?"

"We haven't decided," Booth said.

"Can I name him?"

"You can tell us names you like, and we'll consider them," he offered.

"If it's a girl can I name her?"

"Parker, Bones is not having a girl..."

"I _know... _But if she does can I name it?"

Booth looked to Brennan for help. She shrugged.

"Sure Parker. If Bones gives birth to a baby girl, you get to name her."

Parker seemed very pleased with this.

"Don't worry, I won't name her anything weird. I'll think of a pretty name," he told them as he got up and walked to his room.

"How disappointed do you think he's going to be when he doesn't get to name the baby?" Brennan asked Booth changing positions so she could lean against him.

"Ah, he'll be fine. He's a Booth. We're pretty good losers. Besides, he knows a deal is a deal."

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBb

"Booth I would like to order the stroller," Brennan told him one evening as they ate dinner. She was now just over 7 months pregnant.

"Aww Bones. Come on. We don't even need a stroller at the beginning. Just a carrier. It's bad luck to buy stuff before!"

"You know I don't believe in luck," she told him again, and probably not for the last time. "I don't want to have to worry about this stuff after.

"Fine. But if something happens I'm..." he started but stopped short.

"You were saying something?" she asked eyebrows raised, knowing full well he almost implied that it would be her fault.

"Sorry Bones, wasn't thinking," he half smiled.

"What colour stroller are you going to get?" Parker asked.

"Blue I think," Brennan said.

"Maybe you should get something that can be for a boy or a girl," he suggested.

"Who says blue can't be used for a girl?"

"Well it can be, but you already got all the boy clothes and I just figure if it's a girl," he stopped suddenly.

"What clothes?" Booth asked.

"Sorry Bones!" Parker said covering his mouth.

"Bones! You didn't!" he asked in disbelief. "Tell me you didn't outfit our baby's wardrobe already?" he pleaded.

"Well, I only got a couple of small things. Angela however, felt it necessary to buy one of everything from baby gap," she explained.

"Am I in trouble?" Parker cut in.

"No, Parker, it was a slip. Go play," Booth told him focusing his attention back on his wife. "I don't like you entrusting Parker with lies and secrecy Bones. That's not what I teach him."

"I didn't think... It's just that I... You're right. I'm sorry. He saw me putting the stuff away. I'm just not used to doing things your way. I want to prepare," she frowned.

"Come here," he said holding his arms out to her. She walked forward and into his arms, stomach bumping into his chest. "Why don't we go this weekend to get the baby furniture and stroller, ok?"

"Really?" She smiled.

"Yeah. I just want you to be happy and healthy."

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you notice that Parker still thinks the baby might be a girl?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Just checking," she smiled.

* * *

"Bones! Popcorn is ready!" Booth called.

Brennan was now 8 months pregnant, and had been on maternity leave officially for one month, but actually for 3 days. Because of high blood pressure, the doctor was forced to threaten her with hospital time in order to get her to agree to home rest, and no work. She still insisted on working on her writing, but she did it in bed, on her laptop.

The bathroom door opened, and Brennan emerged. She walked to the edge of the bed and just stood there, not climbing on.

"What's wrong Bones?"

"The thought of lying in bed again is making me uncomfortable. I'm so tired of just laying here."

"I know Babe, but it's only been 3 days. You still have a while to go..."

She pouted adorably.

"Does it help if I promise to spend every moment in it with you to keep you company?" he asked trying to make his wife feel better.

"Maybe a little," she smiled climbing back in on top of the covers, and sticking a small handful of popcorn in her mouth.

Both Brennan and Booth drifted off during the movie. Brennan awoke close to 2am, with a pounding headache. She rose slowly, trying to stretch out the stiffness that she was feeling in her muscles, as she made her way to the washroom.

It was on her way back to bed that the pain first hit her, like a stab to the stomach. She moaned in pain, and grabbed her stomach. Booth, being sensitive to his wife in general, opened his eyes, blinking to orient to his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was that his wife's side of the bed was empty.

"Bones?"

"Booth," she moaned from the side of the bed.

"Oh god, what's wrong?" he said as he practically catapulted himself to the other side of the bed, landing in something wet.

"Oh god, baby, are you bleeding?" he whispered, fear rushing through him, causing a stabbing pain in his heart.

Brennan let out a sob, tears coming to her eyes. "I don't know! Turn on the light!"

Booth reached for the lamp, and turned it on, almost laughing in relief when the liquid on the ground was not in fact blood.

"Booth, I think my amniotic sac ruptured," she said reality kicking in.

"You're only 32 weeks," he said, not letting his worry show.

"I know! But I'm going into labour now!"

He kicked right into action, and grabbed her bag that they had kept packed, for the past 2 weeks, just like the doctor instructed.

"Babies born after 32 weeks have a very high survival rate, and usually do not have long term complications," she told him. She knew it wasn't the right thing to say, but she didn't know what to say.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay, let's go." Booth put his arm behind her back guiding her out of the house and into the car.

* * *

"Well Temperance, despite the early labour, everything in looking just fine," Dr. Gold smiled, pulling off her gloves, after checking her dilation. "It won't be too long now."

Booth brushed some of his wife's hair off her forehead before laying a soft kiss. "I can't wait to meet out baby Bones. You're doing great."

She didn't answer. She was exhausted, and scared. She wouldn't accept that her baby was completely fine, until she had him in her arms.

* * *

It was a long night, despite the doctor's promise that it wouldn't be. Brennan tired to sleep between contractions, and was in and out of wakefulness, only partly paying attention, as her doctor and nurses came and went.

But right now everything was perfect. She had her tiny baby in her arms.

"She's so small," Booth said for at least the tenth time, still sporting his huge grin. She was just about 6 pounds. He kissed his wife's forehead and then his baby girl's. "So Bones, can you return all the clothing you got?"

Brennan smiled. "Parker's going to be very happy isn't he?"

"Smug, is more like it," Booth laughed. "I think he'll be more upset when we don't actually let him pick her name."

"Why wouldn't we?"

"Come on Bones... he's a kid..."

"You promised him. I think it would be very unadvisable to break your promise. What kind of message would you be sending him?"

The baby started to fuss, letting out tiny whimpers. Her mother and father were fussing over her instantly.

"Ok, baby, shhh..." Brennan cooed. "Mommy's not upset. You're alright."

"Ok Bones. You're right. Parker can pick her name on one condition."

She raised her eyebrow at him, a warning to pick his words very carefully.

"The condition being that you pass me my baby, and try to get some sleep," he smiled, as a peace offering.

Brennan smiled, letting him take their tiny bundle from her arms, before closing her eyes, and drifting off.

* * *

Let me know what you think!

There will be a part two, if I get enough response from this one, I'll post the continuation about Parker naming her :)


	17. Baby Naming

Hello! Here is the continuation from the last chapter! I know it's short, but I felt this was all I needed to say!

Let me know what you think! All your reviews were so fabulous! Sorry I didn't have time to respond to them this time... too much school work. They really encouraged me to push through my school work and get this posted for you! keep them coming! I already have another chapter in the works!

* * *

To say that the little boy was happy was a huge understatement. The word for what he was feeling... well ecstatic, delighted, on cloud nine... These are words that barely summed up what Parker Booth was feeling when he found out that he had a new baby sister.

"I knew it! I knew it!" he screamed jumping up and down, fist pumping in the air.

Booth smiled at his son's enthusiasm, reaching for his backpack that he had discarded in order to celebrate. He had picked his son up from school, and had intended to wait until they were in the car, but blurted out as soon as he saw his son. Of course Booth was just as happy about his new daughter as Parker, he was just able to better control his excitement.

"I get to name her right dad? Right? You're going to let me? Because you promised!"

"Slow down Bub, get in the car," Booth smiled.

"Aww no. That's a no right? Like get in the car so you don't make a scene when I break my promise to you?"

"Parker," Booth said with a tone that warned him to watch his mouth.

Parker slid into the car, and buckled his seatbelt, not uttering another sound.

"Bones and I have decided that you can name the baby, as long as you are mature about what name you pick."

Parker's eyes lit up. "Thanks Dad! I will pick a beautiful name. I have a couple that I'm thinking of, but I need to meet her before I can decide."

"What names are you thinking about?" Booth asked curiously as he pulled out carefully into traffic, anxious to get back to Bones and the baby.

"Sorry, you'll have to wait, until my final decision."

"What? You're not going to give your old man a sneak peak?" Booth asked amused, and maybe a little hurt.

"Sorry, but I don't want your opinion to influence my decision," Parker told him.

"You've been spending too much time with the squint squad Parks."

* * *

"Hey Bones," Booth said sticking his head into the room. "Is it ok if Parker comes in?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I'm done nursing for now. She's not latching," she sighed.

"It takes time Bones. It's only been a few hours."

"I know," she said as she placed a kiss on her baby girl's head. "Ready to meet your big brother?"

"Come in Parker," Booth called opening the door for him.

Parker shuffled quickly over to the bed, and leaned in to place a kiss on Brennan's cheek. "Congratulations Bones," he smiled. "Hi baby sister," he whispered placing his index finger lightly on the baby's cheek. "She's so soft," he smiled at his dad.

Booth followed his son's lead, and moved forward to kiss his wife, and baby. "Sleepy huh, little one?" he said rubbing her baby fuzz on top of her head.

"What colour eyes does she have?" Parker asked, because she was sleeping.

"Blue, just like her mother's," Booth said still not taking his eyes off of his little princess.

"So Parker, have you thought a name?" Brennan asked him.

"Yeah, I did, and now that I've met her I think it fits perfectly!" he said excitedly.

"Ok, let's hear it Parks," Booth said anxiously.

"Well first, let me tell you the meaning. It will make more sense... you know, why I picked this name."

Both parents looked at him waiting for his explanation.

"Hold on," he said reaching into his pocket. "I wrote this down, for when she was born... you know for when they told you it was a girl," he smiled.

Brennan smirked, and Booth let out a laugh of amusement.

"It means 'Supplanter'," Parker told them. Brennan actually began to laugh, and Booth stood confused.

"I don't know what that means," Booth said, making Brennan laugh even more. The baby began to stir and let out an irritated tiny noise, from being disturbed.

"A supplanter is literally one who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another," Brennan explained.

"Yeah, and because you thought she was going to be a boy... get it?" Parker smiled.

"Very clever Parker," Brennan told him.

"So what's her name Parker?" Booth asked.

"Jacqueline," he told them. "I didn't pick a middle name. I thought that you might want to do that..."

Brennan and Booth looked at each other and smiled. They really liked it.

"Jacqueline," Brennan said as she kissed her baby again.

"I like it. Jackie," Booth smiled, pulling his son in for a hug. "You did great Parker."

"Thanks," he smiled proudly. "Can I hold her?"

"Sure, just sit down first," Brennan told him.

Booth took his daughter, and placed her gently in her brother's arms, before snapping a picture to commemorate the moment.

* * *

Make my day! REVIEW!


	18. I should have known

Once again, I open the floor with asking for help with ideas. I guarentee updates will be more frequent if I have more ideas... and more reviews :) Shameless begging... I know.

Sorry I didn's respond to reviews this time. Mid-terms. Need I say more?

* * *

"Booth," he said answering his phone.

"What time are you coming home?" Brennan demanded of her husband.

"Well hello to you too sweetie," he joked.

"I'm serious. When?"

"I was just going to finish some work. I should be home in about an hour," he told her. "Is everything..." he started to say, but was cut off.

"Jacqueline no!"

He heard some shuffling and Jacqueline started to cry.

"Bones?" No answer. "_Bones!" _he said more loudly.

"Just get home as soon as you can," she said before hanging up.

Booth looked at his phone, and then to the work on his desk. It wasn't like his wife to call him and be so insistent about when he comes home.

"Screw it," he said out loud, to himself, as he got up and put his coat on, leaving his work for the next day.

* * *

About twenty five minutes after the phone call, Booth walked in his front door.

"Oh, finally," Brennan sighed walking over to him with Jacqueline in her arms. She kissed him on the cheek. "Here," she said pushing the 10 month-old baby into his arms. "She's yours for the rest of the night. I'm off duty."

Booth laughed. "You alright there Bones? You look a little wiped."

Brennan turned towards him, and he could read annoyance in her eyes. "You have no idea... absolutely none, of what I went through with Jacqueline today."

Booth went to speak but was interrupted.

"Never mind these so called terrible two's... she seems to have entered this category today. She only wants to do what she's not allowed to do, and if I don't let her she cries."

"Like what?"

"Like playing with electrical cords. She seems to find them very entertaining all of a sudden. She wouldn't nap. She was pulling at my computer cords, so I couldn't work on my laptop. She also hasn't eaten much today."

"Maybe she's getting sick again," Booth said removing his tie that was now in his daughter's mouth. Jacqueline started to cry immediately. "Ok Jellybean, let's go see what's for dinner," he said running his hand gently over her back as he cradled her in his arms.

"Are you going to work now Bones?"

"Work? No. I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm going to bed," she said running a hand over her forehead. "I don't think I could drive right now, even if I had to."

"I guess we'll have to tell Karen she's not allowed to be off sick anymore," Booth grinned, referring to the fact that their Nanny had the flu. Brennan had been home for two days now with Jacqueline, since Booth was in the middle of a case at work that didn't allow him to delegate work like Brennan could.

Brennan sighed. "I love you Jacqueline, but today you made mommy very upset and tired. She kissed her baby's head, followed by her husband's lips, and then retreated to the bedroom.

* * *

Booth didn't have much more luck then Brennan getting his daughter to eat. In fact, dinner ended up on him and the floor, and with Jacqueline crying at the top of her lungs, with Booth doing everything in his power to quiet her, so as not to wake Bones.

Following dinner he tried to put Jacqueline in the bath, and the warm water seemed to sooth her irritable temper, and caused her to be drowsy. Much to his relief, when he put her in her crib she went down quietly, and fell right asleep. That didn't last long. Brennan alternated waking up every hour with Booth. The next morning they were exhausted, as was Jacqueline.

"Bones, maybe you should take her to the doctor today," Booth said while pouring two large cups of coffee.

"Why? She's not sick. What purpose would that serve?"

"Doctor's know things. Maybe there's something going on that we're not seeing," he defended.

"Are you saying I wouldn't know if something was wrong with my daughter?" Brennan asked getting defensive.

"No, no, no. Don't go doing that again... She's my daughter too, and you know that I'm not inferring anything about your parental skills. If just saying, that it couldn't hurt for a doctor to take a look at her."

Brennan pursed her lips. "Fine. I'll call the doctor and see if I can get her an appointment. I was hoping to get in to work today, but I can't bring her in with me if she's still crying all the time." As if on cue, a loud wail sounded from Jacqueline's bedroom, and Booth used it as his opportunity to escape.

"That's your cue, and my exit," he said pulling his suit jacket on. "Call me and let me know what happens at the doctor." He kissed a disgruntled Brennan's cheek and left for work.

* * *

"Alright, let me take a look," Dr. Blatt said tickling Jacqueline's belly to make her giggle before starting her examination.

"She doesn't seem sick, but she's been so irritable, it's just not like her," Brennan explained again.

"I see the problem," the doctor said after only a moment of examining the baby.

"What?" Brennan asked shocked. "What's wrong?"

"She has an ear infection. Must be left over from the cold you said she had last week."

"But she hasn't had a fever."

"Not all children get fevers with infections. Jacqueline's isn't too bad, as ear infections go, but we'll start her on antibiotics and you should notice a difference by tomorrow, if not even later today. Why don't you get her dressed, and I'll meet you in my office to give you the prescription."

Brennan picked Jacqueline up and kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry that I didn't know you were hurting..." she whispered quietly in her daughter's ear.

* * *

Booth heard them coming, before she reached her office. Jacqueline always got the other agents attention in the office. Booth smiled and got up to greet them.

"You made it out of the house," Booth smiled taking his daughter who was reaching for him in Brennan's arms.

"Yes, we're just coming from the doctor's office," Brennan said looking at him with her wide sad eyes, which were more expressive with her emotions than anything she could say.

Booth ushered her into his office and closed the door. "What's wrong?"

"She has an ear infection."

"Ok, so she's starting antibiotics, and she'll be fine," Booth said kissing his baby's head.

"Aren't you going to gloat that you were right about the doctor?" Brennan chided.

"Aww Bones, give me some credit. I'm not happy that Jackie is sick."

"I know that. I just... if it had been up to me I never would have thought to even take her. My baby was... is hurting, and I didn't know! She just wanted me to make it better, and I ignored it."

"Come on, you didn't know. I didn't either. You didn't ignore her Bones. You tried to keep her happy for the past two days, and you're exhausted from it. You did fine."

Brennan shook her head, still not convinced. "What kind of mother doesn't know when her baby is sick?"

"Hey, look at me." Brennan looked into his eyes. "We figured it out, and she's going to be fine. That's all that matters. Next time she starts acting all wonky you'll know to take her to the doctor right?"

"Well of course, in case it's another ear infection."

"Right."

Brennan gave a small smile, and reached over to run her fingers over Jacqueline short hair.

"You always know what to say to me Booth," she said affectionately.

"That's because I love you more than anything," he said rather seriously, before lightening the mood again. "Now, can I take my two favourite ladies to lunch?"

Jacqueline cooed.

"I think we'd like that very much," she responded leaning forward to capture Booth's lips with her own.

* * *

I have three exams this week. Please help me get through it with your reviews. I love them all so much!


	19. Halloween

Thanks for all your reviews last time! They were so wonderful, and I worked extra hard to get this chapter out in time for tomorrow!

Once again, sorry for any mistakes!

* * *

"Parks, aren't you and your friends are a little old to be trick-or-treating?"

"Dad we've been over this. It's the last year we can get away with it... and free candy... Why is that hard to grasp?" The young teen asked sarcastically.

Booth laughed. "Ok, I get it, I get it. But watch it with the sarcasm," he scolded softly.

"Sorry. Plus if I didn't go who would take out the Wackster?"

Brennan had a book deadline the day after Halloween and would be locked up for the evening in the lab, far away from screaming children, and ringing door bells. Since Brennan insisted that Booth had to give out candy, since it is only fair to all of the other parents who give to their children, with the same expectation in return. Therefore Booth was staying home. Parker would be responsible for his baby sister, after much coercion and bribery. Brennan was usually also responsible in the costume department. However this year Booth and Parker were delegated the task of one making one little girl very happy with her costume.

"Jackie, what do you want to be for Halloween this year?" Booth asked his 4 year old daughter.

"Parker!"

"Awwww, come on Jackie. We've been over this! I am _NOT_ a costume," Parker whined.

Jacqueline crossed her arms and put on her best pout, furrowing her eyebrows. "You said I could dress up as what I want!" she accused. "That is what I want!"

"Yeah, whatever, not whoever Wackie. Be a princess... or a ballerina or something," Parker encouraged.

"_You_ be a ballerina," she shot back. "I'm going as you!"

"Then I'm not taking you trick-or-treating!" he argued back. "And since Bones can't, and dad is giving out candy here... looks like you won't be going at all!"

Faster than Booth could intervene, Jacqueline burst into tears, pushing herself off her chair and running to her room.

"Parker! Stop it," Booth scolded. "Is it really such a big deal if she wears one of your shirts and hats?"

"Yes dad, it is a big deal. Like it's not bad enough that I'm being forced to take my baby sister with me and my friends on Halloween, she has to be dressed like me? Everyone will laugh at me!"

"So?"

"What do you mean so? Dad, don't you remember being young?"

"I could ask you the same thing Parker. This is a holiday more for your sister than for you."

"Of course it is. Everything is always about Jacqueline, and for Jacqueline. You let her do anything anyways... why should this be different," Parker mumbled the last part.

"What's that supposed the mean?" Booth asked a bit defensively and a bit surprised.

"Exactly what I said dad. No hidden meaning. She's the baby, and she's spoiled. You and Bones jump at her every demand and whim."

"Hey, watch it," Booth warned. He took a minute to process what his son was telling him, not wanting this to be a fight. "Look, I know Jackie's a bit spoiled. But Bub, she's only doing this because she worships you. She loves being with you, and she doesn't understand why you won't let her do it. She's still young."

Parker groaned. He hated his father's voice of reason. "Dad," he sighed. "You know I love her. It's not about that. I just don't always want to have her copying what I do. Ya it's cute... sometimes... But she's practically still a baby. None of my friends have brothers or sisters so much younger than them. They don't understand."

"I get it Parks, I really do. But you're lucky too you know. You are old enough that you can influence your sister, and have a real part in her life. She listens to you because she wants to. Not because she has to."

Parker didn't say anything. He felt guilty now because he made his sister cry, and his dad was disappointed in him. He could see it in his eyes.

* * *

Booth left Parker to think it over and went to find Jacqueline. She was in her bedroom sitting on the floor. She looked up at him as he walked in.

"Want to come sit with me baby?" he asked.

She nodded, tears still in her eyes, and reached her arms up for him to pick her up.

"Don't be upset sweet heart. You're going to go out on Halloween, I promise ok?"

She nodded her head seeing that he meant it.

"Dad can I talk to Jackie?" Parker asked from the doorway.

"Unhhh," Jacqueline whined from her spot on her father's lap, when he tried to move her.

Booth kissed her head. "Talk to your brother, and then come find me and we'll make a snack." He handed her off to Parker, who sat on her bed, and placed Jacqueline on his lap, before exiting the room.

"Look Jackie, I'm sorry about what I said in the kitchen before. I didn't mean it. You know I love you right?"

"More than ice cream?" she asked.

"Way more than ice cream! I love you more than any type of dessert!"

"Wow, that's a lot."

"It sure is. You know what else I love you more than?"

"What?"

"My friends."

Jackie looked at him confused, not sure of the significance of what he was telling her.

"You come first Wackie, ok? You always come first. And if I'm mean to you, just tell me that you come first, and I'll understand ok?"

"K."

"Can I have a hug?"

"Yup!" she used his shoulder's to help herself stand up, and put her small arms around him. He squeezed her back.

"Want to go pick out a t-shirt from my closet that we can tie up to make smaller?"

"Ya!" she said bouncing off the bed and running out of the room.

Parker entered the hall, and caught his father's back turning the corner, trying to sneak away. He rolled his eyes. "Some FBI agent," he teased.

"Ok, ok. Shoot me. Look, I'm really proud of what you said to her. You really have grown so much. Next time I treat you like a kid, remind me of this, ok?"

"Aww, come on, don't get all sappy on me."

Booth grinned.

"I better go check on rug rat before she tears my room apart," Parker said walking towards his room.

* * *

At the same time the front door opened and closed. "Hello?" Brennan called from the front of the house.

"Mommy!" came the surprisingly loud shriek of a very excited little girl. She came running out of Parkers room, a t-shirt in each hand, and one of his hats on her head.

She ran to the front of the house, and into her mother's waiting arms.

"I missed you!" she said looking at her mother.

"I missed you too baby, I'm sorry I've been working so much," she said kissing her daughters cheek. "Seems like I missed a lot of fun," she said, noticing Jacqueline's hat and the items in her hands.

"S'ok," she shrugged. "Guess what?"

Booth appeared in the room, and winked at his wife.

"What?"

"I'm gonna be Parker for Halloween!" she shared excitedly.

"I was wondering about that. I said to myself when I walked in that you looked just like him. Very many similarities."

Jacqueline giggled, and squirmed to be put down. She immediately ran back towards Parker's room.

"Well hello," Booth said taking his turn to greet his wife, leaning in for a kiss.

"I'm very happy that you've dealt with the costume issue," she told him honestly. "No offence, but I wasn't sure if I would end up doing something last minute the night before Halloween.

"Nah, us men took care of it!"

"To be honest coming home to find stuff done is a bit of a turn on."

Booth's eyes grew. "Really? So if I told you I did the laundry...?" he trailed off.

She raised an eyebrow. "I would ask when the kids are going to bed."

"Not soon enough," he groaned, circling his arms around her waist.

"I'm so domesticated," sighed leaning her head on his chest.

"You say that like you don't enjoy it."

She let out a small laugh. "You know I wouldn't trade this for anything."

"Mommy!" Jacqueline called.

"You're being paged Dr. Brennan," Booth said regretfully releasing her.

"Yes, it seems I must go. How about we meet again after 11 agents Booth," she said biting her bottom lip teasingly. "You know the place."

Booth grinned, feeling that familiar twinge of need that she so often caused in him. "I'll be there."

"I bet you will," she said as she headed towards the call of her daughter. "Oh, and wear your holster," she winked, before disappearing around the corner.

* * *

Please leave a** review** as my Halloween Treat!

**Happy Halloween!**


	20. Time Out

Yes- this is an actual update! I know, I'm shocked too. I'm been in a writting mood- some creative juices have been flowing once again. Amazing how Hannah leaves, and that happens.

Enjoy! Please review! I've missed them so much!

* * *

"Jacqueline, we're going to be late, please let me dress you!" Booth begged holding out a pair of green track pants to his 3 year old daughter, while she skipped circle around the room, in nothing but a pair of pink Disney princess underwear.

"But I'm practicing ballet," she informed him doing some sort of a courtesy- so he could only assume. He knew less about ballet than he did about little girl's hair, which was about to be another source of aggravation in his day.

"Jackie, please listen to daddy," he said lightly grabbing her arm as she skipped by forcing her to stop.

"Nahhhh" she whined trying to pull away from him. "I want to do it by myselfs."

"Ok, than do it," he said putting her pants down in front of her.

She went over and set to straightening them out on the floor in from of her, smoothing out the wrinkles.

"Jacqueline, put them on."

"I have to fix them firsts," she told him concentrating. Still patting, and smoothing.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

Jacqueline looked up at her dad. "Daddy?"

"Yes baby?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"No baby I'm not mad, but I am upset because you're not listening. I need you to get dressed so we can go, and you're not being a good helper."

"I'm not listening," she said as a personal acknowledgment of her own behaviour. "I need a time out," she told herself sternly waggling her little finger at no one in particular, a crease between her brows.

"No baby, you don't need a time out, you need to listen..." he started, but Jackie had already turned and walked towards the corner and plopped herself down on the ground facing the wall. Booth looked at his watch. Already late. While it was amazing that his daughter self disciplined, all he wanted was for her to get dressed.

"I'll tell you when I'm ready to listen," she informed him.

"Okay," he sighed, the corner of his lip twitching up the tiniest bit. What a precocious child he had. Not surprising considering who her mother was.

"Ok, daddy I'm ready to listen," she said turning to face him from her spot on the ground, a couple of minutes later.

"Good, so come get dressed."

She pushed herself up and bounced over to him, letting him slip her pants, shirt, and zipper top on, in less than a minute.

"Are you still sad with me daddy?"

"No Jellybean, you listened very well. Now come on let's go!" he said scooping her into his arms to save time on the walk to the front door.

"Where are we going?" she asked and he helped her slip her feet into her shoes and put on her coat.

"You don't remember?"

She grimaced, thinking hard.

"Who were you asking for all morning?"

"Mommy!" she said. "Oh."

"Oh what?" Booth asked balancing her on his hip and locking the front door.

"If I remembered about mommy, I could go faster," she told him innocently.

"Wait a minute there Ms. Jacqueline. Are you telling me you were being slow on purpose for daddy, but for Mommy you can go fast and listen?"

Jacqueline wrinkled her nose and smiled, and let out a giggle that was contagious.

"You are unbelievably sneaky!" he told her shocked. "I think the tickle monster is going to have a lot to say about that", he threatened, wiggling his fingers, slowly inching them closer to her neck.

"No, no no, no no!" she shrieked, squirming in his arms.

Booth laughed, and opened the car door. "You are very lucky we're already late, so you're safe for now," he informed her buckling her into her car seat. "But just wait until bed time!"

Jacqueline giggled. "You're so silly daddy." Booth smiled at her through the rear view mirror, just before starting to drive.

* * *

"You're late," Brennan smiled, as she slid into the car.

"Mama!" Jacqueline called excitedly leaning forward in her seat trying to reach her mother.

"I wasn't late. It was your daughter," he smiled, leaning forward to kiss his wife.

"My daughter, hmm?" she grinned. "Jacqueline, were you being bad for daddy?" she asked turning to face her daughter, trying to remain stern.

Jacqueline looked from her dad to her mom, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to be in trouble with her mom either. Her mom was very strict about behaviour, and she knew it.

"Nah, Bones, she was an Angel. We just got delayed," Booth said saving the day- at least from Jackie's perspective.

"Good, I'm glad to hear it," she said rubbing her daughter's cheek with her knuckles.

Brennan turned back around, to face the front and Jacqueline look at her father's reflection in the rear view mirror again.

He lifted his fingers in a tickling motion, and Jacqueline let out an excited shriek of anticipation.

"What?" Brennan asked confused.

"Nothing Bones. Just waving to Wackie."


	21. The Fight

Yes this is an update. Wow.

* * *

**The Fight**

* * *

Booth unlocked his front door, dropped his keys on the hall table, and made his way into the living room.

"Hi Daddy", Jacqueline greeted getting up and bounding into her fathers waiting arms.

"Hi Jackie," he said kissing the top of his daughters head, before placing her back on the ground. "Where's your mom?"

"Office," she said moving back to the couch to watch tv. "Are you still fighting?"

"What? Who said we're fighting?" he asked trying to look surprised.

Jacqueline rolled her eyes. "I'm 7 dad, not 2. Plus I could hear you two arguing again last night," she through in looking down at the floor.

Booth moved forward and sat next to her on the couch. "I'm sorry if we woke you."

Jacqueline shrugged. "I got up to go the bathroom." She hesitated before continuing. "I hate it when you fight".

"So do I," he told her honestly. "But it will pass, they always do."

"But it's already been over a week and you two have barely spoken to each other. This isn't like your other fights. I don't even know what you're so mad at each other about."

Booth started to respond when Brennan walked into the room, headed to the kitchen. "Jacqueline, please wash up for dinner," she said not acknowledging Booth right away. "Booth, will you be joining us?"

"Umm, yes. Why wouldn't I be?" he asked his wife, irritation evident in his tone.

Brennan ignored his response, and continued into the kitchen.

"Well I won't be!" Jacqueline said getting up.

Brennan stopped and turned around. "Pardon me?"

"I'm not sitting at the table again pretending to be happy while you ignore each other! It's terrible and I don't want to do it. This may be your fight, but it's affecting me!" Tears began to gather in her eyes and fall down her face. She wiped them away angrily with the back of he hand.

"Stop it Jacqueline," Brennan said calmly. "There's no reason to be upset. Please come and sit down."

Jacqueline shook her head and looked to her dad. "Please don't make me".

"Why don't you go call your aunt Angela and see if you can go over and play with Michael."

She nodded and left the room.

When Booth looked back at his wife he could see her eyes were full of anger. She went to open her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"You can yell at me all you want, but not right now. Let me get Jacqueline out of the house first. She's already upset enough."

* * *

Booth returned home from diving his daughter to their friend's house.

"Bones," he called. "Are you ready to sit down and talk?"

"That depends on if you're going to listen to what I have to say."

Booth signed and sat down across from her. "Look Bones, we're both extremely stubborn people. I think we've let this go on long enough. We have to end this. Jacqueline asked me in the car if we're going to get divorced."

Brennan looked up at him. "What did you tell her?"

Booth sighed at her insecurity, even now, after 8 years of being together. Booth got up and moved to sit next to her, and reached for her hand. "No, I told her no. I love you, and this argument isn't going to change that."

Brennan nodded.

"I can't help it though Bones, I don't want you to go. You said you weren't going to travel anymore like this."

Brennan had been asked to participate in an anthropological dig in Koobi Fora, in northern Kenya to study ancient hominids.

"Booth, I haven't gone away in three years! I really want to do this. I don't like leaving you either, but you're not considering anything but yourself and what you want. As soon as I first brought it up you shot the idea down and closed off from me. And I never said I wasn't going to travel again. I said I find it hard, and I don't like too."

Booth sighed. This is about as far as they had gotten in a week and a half.

"What about Jackie Bones. Do you remember what it was like for her last time you went away for a short time? How can you say this is just about me?"

"I want her to come with me."

"What?" he said pulling his hands away from hers.

"I want to bring Jacqueline with me. She'll be off school."

"You want to bring my daughter to Africa where you will be digging up dead bodies? No! Absolutely no!"

"This is exactly why I haven't been speaking to you!" she said standing up. "You refuse to remain calm and discuss this with me, in a calm rational manner."

Booth held his lips together tightly trying to hold in his frustration.

"She is my daughter as well. Why does your vote trump mine?" Brennan asked.

Booth sighed and sat back down. "It doesn't Bones. It doesn't. But I don't think it's a good idea for Jackie to go".

"It will be a fantastic learning experience for her. She can help the kids in the school nearby practice their English. And… I will have her with me, which will make me miss home less."

Booth sighed. "That's exactly why I don't want her to go… I'll miss her too much."

Brennan smiled slightly for the first time. "We agreed on something."

Booth smiled grew a little as well. "I can't be without you and Jackie, Bones. I can't do it. Not for an entire month. I understand that these digs… these trips are who you used to be, and that you gave them up mostly for me. I get it. But I don't want you to go, and I'm asking you not to go."

"What if I decide to go? What then?"

"Then I'll be upset, and try to spend as much time with you as I can before you go. And then, I'll miss you like crazy until you're back in my arms."

Brennan's eyes softened. "A month is a long time."

"Yeah, it is".

"I mean, not overall- but without you and Jacqueline it would be."

"I know what you meant Bones."

"Well what if it was only two weeks?"

Booth looked at her and though about the compromise. "Can you do that? Just go for two weeks?"

"Well, no…"

Booth felt himself deflate again. "Then how…"

"Come to Kenya."

"What?"

"Let me go and get settled, and then you come out with Jackie and stay for two weeks, and we can all go home together," she said starting to get excited.

"You're serious?"

"Of course! You said you want to travel more, and you have vacation to take in the summer. You could see if Parker wants to come too."

"Let's do it," Booth replied smiling. "I like this compromise."

Brennan's smile matched his own.

"Come here," he said pulling her hands so she would slide close to him. He leaned forward and connected his lips with hers, relishing the feeling of her soft lips against his own.

"Mmm," she mumbled pulling away from him. "I missed that".

"Me too," he said rubbing her cheek.

"Should we go get Jackie and tell her the news?"

"Nah. Let's wait a bit."

"Why?"

"So that I can do this…" he said with a predatory glare as he shifted forward quickly, trapping her under him.

"I understand. You would like to make it up to me, with intercourse," she grinned.

Booth let out a small growl as he reached under her shirt and wasted no time in unhooking her bra.

"Maybe you're making it up to me, huh Bones?" he questioned between sucks and nibbles, his hips bucking when she let out a low moan.

"I don't care what you call it as long as you stop talking and take off your pants!"

Booth smiled against her breast, and they proceeded to make it up to each other.

* * *

**Please Leave a Review. If I get enough, I can't just not update... right?**


	22. A Lesson Learned

Yay, another update! Happy Holidays! Please gift generously, with your reviews!

* * *

Booth was mad. No, not just mad, furious. He could not form a rational thought in his mind as he sped through downtown DC, to get to his daughters school.

It was 20 minutes ago that he got the call asking him to come and collect his daughter. He had been worried at first, maybe she was sick- or there had been an accident.

"_Is she okay?" he had asked with concern._

"_Physically she is fine. She is not ill," the principal had replied._

"_Then what's wrong?"_

"_She was found smoking in a janitorial closet with another peer."_

"_What? Are you sure?"_

"_Mr. Booth, please assure yourself that it was a positive identification, as I caught them myself."_

He didn't know what had come over her- his usually intelligent child, doing something so blatantly stupid. Maybe she wanted attention?

His phone sounded indicating he had an incoming call from his wife.

"Hi Bones."

"Have you arrived at the school?"

"Two minutes."

"Try to act calm and rationally. I'll meet you at home as soon as I can, and we will discuss this together."

"Rationally? You're joking right? You do realize that our daughter might get suspended?"

"Yes, and I am very upset Booth, don't assume that I'm not. However, I am more concerned that she is not aware of the dangers to her health."

"Health," Booth almost laughed. "Bones, it was one cigarette. It's the lying, and skipping class I'm worried about. I knew that new friend was a bad influence. Look Bones, I'm here, I'll see you soon."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

Jacqueline was scared. She had asked the principal to call her mother first, but she hadn't answered. Her father was going to kill her.

When the office door opened, she looked up and saw her father's tight lips and blazing eyes. She moved to get up.

Booth stopped and pointed at her. "You. Don't move an inch."

He turned to the secretary and asked to see the principal. Almost immediately the principal emerged from his office at the back.

"Hello Mr. Booth. Thank you for coming so quickly."

Booth nodded. "Is she being suspended?"

"Yes, there is a mandatory suspension. It is the school boards policy, with no exceptions."

Jacqueline began to quietly cry.

"Quiet," Booth said turning to her. "I understand."

"Since Jacqueline does possess a clean record and is not usually in trouble, it will only be for tomorrow, and she may return on Monday. She will also have detention for the two weeks following her return."

"Thank you. And I will assure you," Booth said turning to look at his daughter, "that this will never, ever, happen again." He shook the principal's hand.

"Get up," he ordered Jacqueline. She obeyed quickly and lead to the way out of the school.

As soon as the car door closed Jacqueline tried to talk to her father. "Daddy, I'm…"

"I don't want to hear it Jacqueline."

"But-"

"Jacqueline, I mean it. Shut your mouth."

The rest of the ride was quiet and tense.

* * *

When they arrived home Jacqueline followed her father into the living room and sat down in a big arm chair. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"God Jacqueline. What the hell were you thinking? Skipping class? Smoking? In a closet no less? How could you be so stupid? I'm _so_ angry with you. You have no idea."

"I don't know what I was thinking."

"You're going to have to do better than that!" Booth gritted out angrily.

"I was curious, I guess."

"What do your mother and I always tell you? Huh?"

"I don't know…" she whispered.

"Answer me! What do we always tell you?"

She wiped her eyes again. "To come to you first," she whispered.

"So? Why didn't you?"

"I don't know."

"Give me a break and stop with the 'I don't knows'. You're not a child anymore."

"I just… I wanted to try it, and I knew you wouldn't let me…"

"Damn straight we wouldn't have let you Jacqueline! Not only are they horrible for you, but you're fourteen! Fourteen Jacqueline!"

The front door opened and closed and Brennan appeared.

"You started without me?" she asked Booth.

"You took a long time."

"I had to make a stop." Brennan looked at her daughter, and then to her husband. "Please, continue."

"Jacqueline- ugh, I don't even know where we were."

"I heard something about being curious when I walked in," Brennan helped out.

Booth was breathing heavily, visibly still furious.

"Jacqueline," Brennan started seeing her husband wasn't going to say anything at the moment. "I am extremely upset with you and the lack of good judgment you showed today."

Jacqueline frowned and nodded. "I know, I'm sorry. It wasn't my idea. Jessica stole them from her brother- and I said no at first. I really did, and I know that doesn't make it better, but she started to make fun of me."

Brennan nodded waiting for her to continue.

"I didn't want her to not like me. You know I've had trouble making friends at this school. People don't like me… and Jessica, well she does."

Jacqueline had switched schools at the beginning of this year. At her old school, she had friends, but she had graduated from it at the end of the previous year. Rather than simply moving on with her class, they had been divided into two high schools, and the one that was closer to her home, was not the one where most of her peers had gone.

"That's no reason!" Booth interjected loudly.

Brennan held up her hand to her husband. While he was right, not having friends was her specialty, not his.

"I know you've had a hard time this year, but I think that even you know that if you need to smoke to keep a friend, that she is not truly your friend."

"I know…" Jacqueline sobbed again. "I'm sorry. I just hate it there. People are mean to me. If I get all the answers right, people call me a teachers pet, and taunt me non-stop… but if I do bad, then you'll be mad at me and I don't want that either!"

Even Booth softened. He hadn't known how bad it had been. "Jackie," he started, using her nickname for the first time. "You didn't tell us that it was so bad for you."

"Of course not! Then you would tell my teachers, and the kids would find out I needed my mommy and daddy to interject and then it would be worse."

"You should have talked to us," Booth insisted. "Smoking is not the answer."

"I know. I screwed up. I'm sorry."

"If you want to try something like smoking, alcohol, marijuana… I want you to come to me. That way we can talk about it, and discuss the side effects of it, and if you're still curious, experience it in a safe environment," Brennan explained.

"Bones!" Booth said turning to his wife shocked.

"Oh come on Booth. Like you never got high?"

"That has nothing to do with this!"

"Of course it does. Rationally speaking, at some point Jacqueline will be asked if she wants to partake in smoking a joint, and I would rather it would be with me, then she tries it at some party and it happens to be laced with harmful chemicals."

Jacqueline's eyes were wide as she listened to her mother.

Booth covered his face with his hands. "Bones…"

"So now Jacqueline. I think your father and I need to discuss the idea of you changing schools. Perhaps to a private school." She looked to her husband.

Booth nodded. While he had resisted in the past, mainly because of the past, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Bones, and even Jackie had in the past been open to the idea.

"We'll talk," he responded.

"Good. Now I don't want this opportunity to past without a solid learning experience. Therefore, I want to show you why it is bad for you to smoke."

"Please tell me you're not going to pull out cigarettes…" he begged.

"Of course not. Jacqueline, please follow me."

Jacqueline got up and followed her mother to the kitchen. Booth was cautious, but curious.

Brennan lifted a cooler onto the kitchen counter. "Now these, she said lifting a blob up in a plastic bag is a set of healthy lungs."

"Oh my god…" Booth breathed out realizing what she was doing. "Where did you get those?"

"I borrowed them from a friend who teaches the dangers of smoking."

"Eww!" Jacqueline gasped, paling a bit.

"And these," Brennan continued unaffected, "are the lungs of a smoker". The difference was extremely obvious. The smoker's lungs were shriveled and black.

"Ok!" Jacqueline said turning around. "I promise, on my life, that I will never pick up another cigarette again… in my whole lifetime. Now can I please go to my room?"

"Yeah," Booth sighed. "And you're ground for two weeks."

"My pleasure…" she muttered leaving the kitchen.

"Bones, was that really necessary?"

Bones put the lungs back in the cooler and washed her hands.

"She promised not to smoke anymore didn't she? My hope is that this conditions her, to think of the lungs, whenever she thinks about smoking."

Booth sighed. He had to give her that one. At least she would most likely, never smoke again. And neither would he.

* * *

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